Should Online Stores Be Subject To ADA?

prostoalex writes, "HTML tutorials usually mention alt tags for images and noscript tags as something optional that a Web designer should add to a site for the crawlers and users browsing with graphics or JavaScript turned off. However, a recent lawsuit against Target by the National Federation of the Blind accuses the retailer of not complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Since Target's online store is unbrowsable with a screen reader, the nation's 200,000 blind people who go online cannot become paying customers, the NFB contends. From the article: 'In denying Target's motion to dismiss the suit two months ago, Judge Marilyn Hall Patel... held that the law's accessibility requirements applied to all services offered by a place of public accommodation. Since Target's physical stores are places of public accommodation, the ruling said, its online store must also be accessible or the company must offer equally effective alternatives.' Does the judge's name ring a bell? Yes, it's the same Marilyn Hall Patel who handled the RIAA's case against Napster in 2001." Web builders and tools may need to start brushing up on the Web Accessibility Initiative.

Comments

Re:ADA is bad law

[AcidLacedPenguiN]

Part of doing business in the community is that you have to be a part of the community. If you can't provide a service for people there is no reason you should be aloud to operate. You don't have nor should you have a right to do business wherever you like.

hold on there sparky, If you can't provide a service for people then you should be allowed to go out of business. No one can say "You're not allowed to do business because someone can't do business with you." It would be more like "Are you crazy??? If you don't do business with this person then you won't have any business, no income, and subsequently you're going to go out of business!".
 
For example, say I own a PVC tubing company then a customer comes by and says, "Whoa, what are you doing here? I can't use PVC tubes, I can only use aluminum-copper alloy tubes and if you don't offer the services I need I'm going to sue you or have the government shut you down!