11 January 2007

Organisations which have a web presence must keep abreast of changes in online accessibility legislation, according to legal experts.

Carla J Rozycki and David K Haase, partners in the Chicago offices of law firm Jenner & Block and chairs of the labour and employment practice group, warn that companies should also take steps to ensure their websites comply with accessibility standards.

Writing for Law.com, the authors warn that retailers could be breaching legal requirements by failing to offer sufficient provision.

In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act, similarly to the UK's Disability Discrimination Act, requires full access to all "places of public accommodation" for disabled individuals - including the visually impaired.

A court recently ruled that this could also apply to the Internet, where poor accessibility could "affect the enjoyment of goods and services".

Earlier this week, director of online legal advice provider Internet Business Law Services Martha L Arias claimed that the ruling would alter the future of e-commerce.

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