Digital Inclusion Remains a Dream: Major Webshops Still Neglect Barrier-Free Accessibility Even as New Law Looms
Despite the implementation of a new law, significant online retailers continue to neglect accessibility for disabled customers, failing to make their platforms fully barrier-free.
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With the Barrier-Free Reinforcement Act (BFSG) about to take effect, a staggering number of major German webshops have yet to make their digital offerings accessible to all.
According to a recently unveiled study by Google, "Aktion Mensch," and the Pfennigparade Foundation in Berlin, of the 65 most visited online shops in the country, only about one-third can be navigated using a keyboard alone.
For people with disabilities, keyboard accessibility is crucial for a seamless digital experience. Although progress has been made compared to last year, the situation's improvement is disappointing, with only 20% of popular webshops accessible in 2024.
Why are so many webshops lagging behind? Here are a few potential reasons:
- Complexity of Full Compliance: Meeting the BFSG's accessibility standards is no easy feat. The law encompasses a wide range of requirements, including usability, perceptibility, comprehensibility, and robustness. Companies often find it challenging to attain complete compliance, even if they've improved in specific areas, such as keyboard accessibility.
- ** ignorance or Lack of Resources**: Some companies may not grasp the full extent of the BFSG's demands or may lack the necessary resources to implement the changes. This could be due to tight budgets, a shortage of in-house expertise, or simply insufficient time to address all aspects of accessibility before the deadline.
- Technical hurdles: Ensuring that all digital products and services meet the BFSG's standards can present formidable technical challenges. Integrating assistive technologies, maintaining compatibility across devices and browsers, and making the digital offerings robust and error-free are complex tasks that demand extensive investment and expertise.
- Inadequate Enforcement: Regulatory bodies like the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency and the Market Surveillance Body of the Federal States are responsible for monitoring compliance, but enforcement mechanisms may not yet be fully developed or may not appear intimidating, leading some companies to delay full compliance.
- Close Approach to Deadline: The compliance deadline is June 28, 2025. Some companies may still be in the process of implementing changes, especially if they started late or underestimated the complexity of the task.
While the BFSG aims to make digital offerings accessible to all, it seems that some webshops struggle to adapt. It's high time that the necessary improvements are made to ensure that everyone can enjoy a barrier-free digital experience.
Source: ntv.de
[1] Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA[2] Digital Accessibility Centre (DAC) Accessibility Requirements Overview[3] Bundesantidiskriminierungsstelle (Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency) – Digital Accessibility[4] Marktaufsicht der Länder (Market Surveillance Body of the Federal States)[5] Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Inklusion (Federal Skills Group on Inclusion) – Barrier-Free Reinforcement Act (BFSG) compliance deadline extension approved.
Community policy should address the lack of compliance with the Barrier-Free Reinforcement Act (BFSG) among major webshops, emphasizing the importance of digital accessibility for people with disabilities and outlining penalties for non-compliant entities.
Employment policy, encompassing tech experts and accessibility advocates, needs to prioritize training and recruitment to help companies understand the demands of the BFSG, address technical hurdles, and ensure well-informed implementation of accessibility features.
