Spitzer Agreement to Make Web Sites Accessible to the Blind and Visually Impaired
August 19, 2004 - (New York State) Attorney General Eliot Spitzer today announced settlements with two major travel web sites that will make the sites far more accessible to blind and visually impaired users.
The web sites, Ramada.com and Priceline.com, have agreed to implement a variety of accessibility standards that will permit users of assistive technology, such as screen reader software, to more easily navigate these web sites.
"Accessible web sites are the wave of the future and the right thing to do. We applaud these companies for taking responsible and proper steps to make their web sites accessible to the blind and visually impaired," Spitzer said. "We urge all companies who have not done so to follow their lead."
At first glance, this settlement seemed liked a good thing - until I read Matt May's analysis - Web accessibility litigation: it's not what we want.
“Having read the settlement, I have to say that Priceline's culture of haggling served them well. They avoid having to conform to three Priority 1 checkpoints, along with some twenty-one Priority 2 checkpoints.“