--- title: Does Web Discrimination Put Your Brand at Risk? description: The Web is an interactive and collaborative space for most. For those living with a disability, it is often difficult to navigate. Read more. image: https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/104.png --- - [skip to menu](https://blog.usablenet.com/does-web-discrimination-put-your-brand-at-risk#nav) - [skip to content](https://blog.usablenet.com/does-web-discrimination-put-your-brand-at-risk#main-content) - [skip to footer](https://blog.usablenet.com/does-web-discrimination-put-your-brand-at-risk#footer) Test the accessibility of your website for free! Try UsableNet AQA. 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[Take our Quiz](https://info.usablenet.com/website-accessibility-remediation-quiz) - Resources ## Resources [E-books & Guides](https://usablenet.com/resources?contentType=E-books%20and%20Guides) [Case Studies](https://usablenet.com/resources?contentType=Case%20Studies) [Reports](https://usablenet.com/resources?contentType=Reports) [Webinars](https://usablenet.com/resources?contentType=Webinars) [Tools](https://usablenet.com/resources?contentType=Tools) [All Resources](https://usablenet.com/resources) ## Essential Resources [ADA accessibility lawsuit tracker](https://info.usablenet.com/ada-website-compliance-lawsuit-tracker?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) [Checklist: how to achieve and maintain digital accessibility](https://info.usablenet.com/digital-website-accessibility-checklist?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) [Which remediation approach is right for me?](https://info.usablenet.com/website-accessibility-remediation-quiz?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) [A Primer on ADA and Digital Accessibility](https://info.usablenet.com/a-primer-on-ada-and-digital-accessibility?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) The EAA is in Effect — Is Your Website Compliant? [Get Help with EN 301 549 Compliance](https://info.usablenet.com/eaa-en-301-549-compliance?__hstc=181257784.2243d86205d8f41e204908d6f6578263.1725908600455.1736198093211.1736205902814.174&__hssc=181257784.1.1736205902814&__hsfp=3011104808) - Who We Serve ## Industry [E-commerce and Consumer Goods](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-e-commerce-consumer-goods) [Food Service and Hospitality](https://info.usablenet.com/-industries-food-service-hospitality) [Banking and Financial Services](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-financial-services) [Healthcare](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-healthcare) [Technology and Business Services](https://info.usablenet.com/-industries-technology-and-business-services) [Public Sector and Education](https://info.usablenet.com/industries-public-sector-and-education) ## Compliance [Canadian Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-canada) [European Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-europe) [Other International Accessibility](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-international) [United States Accessibility Laws](https://info.usablenet.com/compliance-united-states) 2026 Midyear report on digital accessibility lawsuits in the US [Download Now](https://info.usablenet.com/2026-midyear-report) - [Pricing](https://usablenet.com/pricing) - [Blog](https://blog.usablenet.com/) - [About Us](https://usablenet.com/about-us) [Get a Demo](https://info.usablenet.com/contact) # Does Web Discrimination Put Your Brand at Risk? **By** [UsableNet](https://blog.usablenet.com/author/usablenet-1) on Jun 3, 2014 **Topics:** [Web Accessibility](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/web-accessibility) 0 Comments - - - ![104.png](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/104.png) ## The Web is an interactive, collaborative, and democratic space – for most. But for those living with a disability, the online world often makes it difficult to gain easy access to goods and services. [Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)](http://www.globalaccessibilityawarenessday.org/) on May 15 focused the world’s attention on the importance of making technology accessible and usable by persons with disabilities. Brands have traditionally recognized the importance of web accessibility; however, without legislation, compliance is not universal nor legally enforceable. A [landmark ruling](http://www.ada.gov/hrb-cd.htm) against H&R Block in March 2014 due to website inaccessibility for blind people heralds the start of a new era in web development for all. ## Some background: the [National Federation of the Blind (NFB)](https://nfb.org/) successfully brought a lawsuit against [H&R Block](http://www.hrblock.com/lp/fy14/shared-v2.html?&OtpPartnerid=9007&campaignid=ps_mcm_9007_0176&omnisource=GGL%7CCAMP025S-B-Brand+TP-G-Desktop-TP%7CADGP009H+R+Block%7CKWRD008hr+block&KeywordID=506810221) because blind people were unable to utilize H&R Block’s online tax assistance. The Civil Rights Division and District Court of Massachusetts entered into a [consent decree](http://www.ada.gov/hrb-cd.htm) with H&R Block subsidiaries in March 2014 and developed a concrete plan to make accessibility improvements to H&R’s website. The H&R Block lawsuit marks a turning point in the web accessibility narrative. No longer are private companies immune to calls to action by the community for people with disabilities. Instead, brands must take action to create accessible spaces for all users. While these rules cannot always be tangibly enforced, brands have the appropriate guidance and strong moral obligation to guarantee universal access to content. The [American Disabilities Act (ADA)](http://www.ada.gov/hrb-cd.htm) offers a set of guidelines for proper creation of accessible web experiences. Such regulations are increasingly important in a country where over 49 million consumers live with a diverse range of disabilities. While the ADA has always required that government-sponsored websites adhere to these guidelines, the H&R Block lawsuit sets the precedent that private companies must also embrace the ADA principles. Rather than fear ADA guidelines, companies should envision these web recommendations as pathways toward engaging with customers with untapped purchasing power potential. Today American customers living with disabilities have over $220 billion in discretionary income. ## The moral of the story? Web accessibility builds consumer trust and drives brands’ potential for future growth. To discuss how web accessibility can transform your brand’s relationship with customers, contact [Usablenet](https://usablenet.com/contact), a pioneer in web accessibility. Our business has grown to aid over 400 clients with the creation of optimized mobile experiences on every device, including assistive websites. Read our [whitepaper](http://cdn2.content.compendiumblog.com/uploads/user/e0681338-9a5b-4c87-9ec9-ed541f387feb/d6fb6fff-35ec-4d62-9ce5-b07396f4c022/File/e3620d6b63c0e65692e3e1e3bba55337/1390339216297.pdf) to learn more about web accessibility guidelines and the benefits of ensuring equal web access for your customers living with disability. ![UsableNet](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/UsableNet%20Logo%20150%20x%20150.png) ### [UsableNet](https://blog.usablenet.com/author/usablenet-1) Founded in 2000, UsableNet created some of the first tools and platforms to make websites accessible and usable for all people. Starting out, we worked with government agencies as well as universities and corporations. Today, accessibility has become important to almost all companies. We provide accessibility solutions to Fortune 1000 companies, small and medium enterprises, government, and education organizations across industries including retail, travel, hospitality, food services, automotive, financial services, and healthcare. - - - - ### Related posts ![Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-check-in-and-in-stay-barriers-for-blind-guests) Jul 15, 2026 ![Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-browsing-room-options) Jul 14, 2026 ![Inside the 2026 Midyear Numbers: The ADA continues to be the ONLY true enforcement around](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Registration%20-%20Midyear%20Report.png) [Inside the 2026 Midyear Numbers: The ADA continues to be the ONLY true enforcement around](https://blog.usablenet.com/inside-the-2026-midyear-numbers-where-digital-accessibility-litigation-is-going) Jul 8, 2026 ![The Low-Cost Moves That Strengthen an ADA Website Defense](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/The%20Low-Cost%20Moves%20That%20Strengthen%20an%20ADA%20Website%20Defense.png) [The Low-Cost Moves That Strengthen an ADA Website Defense](https://blog.usablenet.com/the-low-cost-moves-that-strengthen-an-ada-website-defense) Jun 16, 2026 ### Sign Up for the UsableNet Blog ### Recent Posts ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Check-in, Messaging, and In-Stay Barriers for Blind Guests](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-check-in-and-in-stay-barriers-for-blind-guests) Jul 15, 2026 ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Beachside-min.jpg) [Hotel Website Accessibility: Browsing Room Options](https://blog.usablenet.com/hotel-website-accessibility-browsing-room-options) Jul 14, 2026 ![feature image](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Registration%20-%20Midyear%20Report.png) [Inside the 2026 Midyear Numbers: The ADA continues to be the ONLY true enforcement around](https://blog.usablenet.com/inside-the-2026-midyear-numbers-where-digital-accessibility-litigation-is-going) Jul 8, 2026 ### Posts by Topic - [Web Accessibility (311)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/web-accessibility) - [User Experience (113)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/user-experience) - [ADA Lawsuits (45)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/ada-lawsuits) - [ADA Website Compliance (38)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/ada-website-compliance) - [European Accessibility Act (34)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/european-accessibility-act) - [Mobile Web (30)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/mobile-web) - [Mobile Apps (27)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/mobile-apps) - [Retail (27)](https://blog.usablenet.com/topic/retail) ![](https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/Consultation%20Icon.svg) Need to improve digital usability, accessibility or performance? 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Stay up-to-date on our insights, the latest tech news and digital trends. ![International Association of Accessibility Professionals logo](https://blog.usablenet.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SaaS%20Theme/2023%20Header%20and%20Footer/IAAP-logo.png?width=150&height=81&name=IAAP-logo.png) © 2026 UsableNet Inc. ![International Association of Accessibility Professionals logo](https://blog.usablenet.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SaaS%20Theme/2023%20Header%20and%20Footer/IAAP-logo.png?width=150&height=81&name=IAAP-logo.png) © 2026 UsableNet Inc. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "UsableNet", "url" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/author/usablenet-1" }, "dateModified" : "2023-08-10T00:30:23.842Z", "datePublished" : "2014-06-03T20:35:00.000Z", "headline" : "Does Web Discrimination Put Your Brand at Risk?", "image" : [ "https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/104.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/does-web-discrimination-put-your-brand-at-risk", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.usablenet.com/hubfs/UsableNet%20Logo_Black.png" }, "name" : "UsableNet Inc." } } ```