Over the years, many laws and regulations have been passed in different countries to encourage the creation of accessible websites and applications, sometimes even enforcing certain bodies (often public entities, but sometimes also large corporations or organizations private that provide services of public interest or on behalf of public bodies) to produce accessible content. From country to country there can be significant differences on how web accessibility is regulated, which subjects are required to create accessible products, and laid down penalties, and for violating such laws.
While this section is certainly not complete (and perhaps will never be… who knows!), here you can find some significant laws and regulations that can have an impact on digital accessibility.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a lawyer, and cannot guarantee for the correctness and/or completeness of the content provided in this section. If you find something that is not accurate, please let me know and I’ll be happy to correct my mistakes! Therefore, I am not responsible for any damage, financial or of any other sort, arising from information (or lack of information) in this section.
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Enacted in 2005 and amended different times, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a Canadian provincial law designed to improve access for Ontarians with disabilities, giving them the opportunity to fully participate in all aspects of daily life.
Read moreAlso known as “Stanca Act”, In Italy Law n.4 of January 9, 2004, states that the government must protect the right of every individual to access information sources and services regardless of disability, in line with the principles of equality established by the Italian Constitution.
Read moreEnacted in 2010, the Equality Act protects people in the United Kingdom from discrimination based on various characteristics (age, gender, disability, ETC.) in the workplace and in wider society.
Read moreEnacted in 2019 after public consultation, the “Accessible Canada Act” is a federal canadian bill whose purpose is to identify, remove, and prevent accessibility barriers in various areas, including:
Read morePassed in 1992, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) is a comprehensive australian act whose goal is to prevent discriminating against a person in many areas of public life, including employment, education, getting or using services, renting or buying a house or unit, and accessing public places, because of their disability.
Read moreAlso known as “European Accessibility Act (EAA)”, directive (EU) 2019/882 is a directive passed by the European Parliament and the Council in 2019. It aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services, by removing barriers created by divergent rules in Member States.
Read moreDirective (EU) 2016/2102 intends to improve the functioning of the internal market in the European Union (EU), allowing websites and mobile applications of public bodies to be more accessible.
Read moreWith its ratification by the United Nations in 2009, the Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) marked a turning point in establishing minimum standards for the rights of people with disabilities.
Read moreIn the United States, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the first major federal legislation aimed at ensuring equality for people with disabilities; amended three times (in 1993, 1998, and 2015), today two of its sections directly pertain to web accessibility.
Read moreIn the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulates accessibility at the federal level. It was enacted in 1990 to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities in the areas of employment, public services and commercial facilities.
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