The Intersection of Web Accessibility, Security, Privacy, and Compliance

The internet has become an indispensable part of our lives, playing a pivotal role in various sectors such as commerce, finance, education, entertainment, and communication. As society moves away from brick-and-mortar establishments, it is essential to ensure equal opportunities for all individuals online, including those with disabilities.

However, the current state of web accessibility falls far short of being satisfactory. Millions of people with disabilities, including those with low vision, color blindness, hearing problems, dyslexia, cognitive disorders, and motor impairments, face significant challenges when accessing information and web-based services.

Startlingly, only 3.7% of websites are currently accessible to people with disabilities as of 2023. This statistic highlights the vast gap that needs to be addressed. Beyond inconveniencing a large user base, the lack of mature accessibility mechanisms on the web also poses privacy and cybersecurity risks.

Weak web accessibility serves as a catalyst for human error. It is widely known that the human element is a weak link in any digital environment, making individuals susceptible to phishing scams or tech support fraud. People with disabilities are equally vulnerable when interacting with compromised or malicious websites, regardless of their inherent vigilance.

Moreover, individuals with disabilities rely on assistive technologies to navigate the web, such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and Braille displays. Unfortunately, the majority of websites lack built-in support for these tools, increasing the risk of misinterpreting content and making incorrect selections.

Consider the privacy settings of web services, often requiring users to read fine print. For individuals with poor eyesight who may not have easy access to assistive tools, adjusting privacy preferences, including data sharing permissions and third-party access, becomes challenging. This limitation extends to tasks like multi-factor authentication, where difficulties arise when deciphering uppercase and lowercase letters with screen readers, leading to authentication failures.

Consider the privacy settings of web services, often requiring users to read fine print. For individuals with poor eyesight who may not have easy access to assistive tools, adjusting privacy preferences, including data sharing permissions and third-party access, becomes challenging. This limitation extends to tasks like multi-factor authentication, where difficulties arise when deciphering uppercase and lowercase letters with screen readers, leading to authentication failures.

The situation worsens when it comes to proving one’s humanity through CAPTCHA tests. Users without visual impairments navigate away from sites that lack alternatives like audio or haptic (vibration) CAPTCHA. However, individuals with low vision encounter dead ends, unable to proceed.

Assistive technology, while valuable, is not a panacea, especially if it is poorly designed or incompatible with specific online services. For example, a person with low vision using a screen magnifier may find form labels stretched too far from input fields, leading to the inadvertent disclosure of confidential information.

With 27% of adults in the U.S. having some form of disability, these issues cannot be overlooked. Beyond hindering user experiences, inadequate web accessibility undermines privacy and increases the likelihood of exploitation through social engineering. The positive aspect is that the landscape is changing.

Increased regulation is driving the evolution of accessibility. Lawmakers worldwide have been mandating website compliance with accessibility requirements, resulting in regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

Compliance with these regulations is not only a hallmark of proper user engagement practices but also becoming a necessity. Businesses in the United States are receiving notices from human rights advocacy groups and disabled users to meet the accessibility requirements outlined in Title III of the ADA.

While the final decisions rest with the courts, the trend is clear. Non-compliance can lead to legal and financial consequences. The EAA takes it a step further by enforcing compliance checks and accessibility guidelines for private sector services in the European Union starting from June 28, 2025.

As regulations tighten, digital solutions for inclusive online experiences are thriving. The web accessibility market is estimated to reach $27 billion, highlighting the growing demand for accessible solutions. Addressing the web accessibility challenge does not require reinventing the wheel. Automation powered by artificial intelligence is already revolutionizing the field. UserWay, a leading provider of turnkey web accessibility services, has demonstrated the effectiveness of technology in bridging the accessibility gap.

UserWay’s AI-powered suite of tools allows websites to overcome digital inclusion barriers and compliance issues through customizable accessibility services, automated audits, remediations, legal support, scanning, and real-time monitoring. Over one million sites, including renowned brands like UNICEF, Coca-Cola, Disney, Fujitsu, Toyota, and Nielsen, leverage UserWay’s solutions.

One noteworthy tool is the UserWay Accessibility Widget, which supports all website builder platforms, enabling ADA and WCAG compliance without code modification. With hundreds of AI-assisted functions, the widget fills the missing piece of the website accessibility puzzle through preconfigured profiles tailored to specific disabilities.

However, like any third-party application, the use of widgets presents potential security risks. UserWay emphasizes coding hygiene and the “shift left” principle to prevent potential compromise. Their secure software development life cycle, secure network, least-privilege access policies, data encryption, vulnerability assessments, and third-party audits ensure product security.

Moving forward, modern technology strikes a balance between robust security controls and accessible digital experiences. This enables individuals with disabilities to access socially inclusive services while staying safe online, and businesses can remove accessibility barriers for customers while complying with tightening regulations.

While the internet still has a long way to go in terms of full accessibility, technological advancements lay the groundwork for significant change in the field. All that remains is to continue on this path.