In the era of digital transformation, digital accessibility has become a key element of global legal regulations. Ensuring that all users, regardless of their abilities, can access digital services is now not only an ethical issue but also a legal requirement. This article presents the most important legal regulations concerning digital accessibility at the international, European, Polish, and American levels.
On the international stage, the key document regulating digital accessibility is the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). WCAG is a set of recommendations aimed at making internet content accessible to people with various disabilities.
One of the most important steps in the global recognition of the right to digital accessibility was the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 2006. Article 9 of this convention obliges member states to ensure access to information and communication technologies, including the Internet, for people with disabilities, recognizing this access as a fundamental human right.
In the European Union, digital accessibility is regulated by the European Accessibility Act (EAA), adopted in 2019. The EAA imposed an obligation to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities in many sectors, including banking, e-commerce, public transport, and telecommunications.
The EAA aims to remove digital barriers and promote a single digital market in the EU, supporting innovation and economic growth. A practical example of implementing these regulations is the obligation to adapt ATMs throughout the European Union to the needs of people with various disabilities. ATMs must offer features such as appropriate contrasts, font sizes, and voice interfaces for blind people.
A complementary legal act is the Directive on the accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public institutions, adopted in 2016. This directive obliges public institutions to adapt their digital platforms to the needs of people with disabilities, including ensuring appropriate text contrast, easy keyboard navigation, and comprehensive alternative descriptions for visual content.
Poland implemented digital accessibility regulations based on the 2019 act, which implements the EU directive. This act imposes an obligation to adapt websites and mobile applications of public entities to the requirements of people with disabilities, in accordance with WCAG guidelines.
An example of successful implementation of these regulations is the obywatel.gov.pl portal, which offers features such as contrast change, text enlargement, and keyboard navigation. These solutions make the portal friendly for people with various types of disabilities, enabling easier access to public services.
Poland also has an act on ensuring accessibility for people with special needs, which goes beyond the digital sphere and also includes standards of architectural and information-communication accessibility. Its aim is to ensure full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of public life.
In the United States, the most important act regulating digital accessibility is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Although this act was adopted in 1990, it initially did not cover the digital space. Only court rulings, such as the landmark verdict in National Federation of the Blind v. Target Corporation in 2006, extended the interpretation of the act to websites associated with physical public places.
This decision means that websites must be accessible to people with disabilities, and companies that do not meet these requirements are exposed to serious legal consequences. A UsableNet report indicates that in 2020, the number of lawsuits concerning digital accessibility violations increased by 23%, reaching over 3,500 cases.
Digital accessibility is now not only a legal obligation but also a key element in creating an inclusive digital society. Regulations around the world aim to ensure equal access to digital resources for all users. In the future, digital accessibility will become an indispensable element of every organization’s digitization strategy.
