Part of my "regular job" consists of optimizing websites for revenue generation, and one of the hottest topics of the moment is web accessibility.
I had never heard people discuss this concept outside of my work, so I can only assume it's still not widely known by the general public. I thought I would write a few words on the subject.
What is web accessibility?
Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. More specifically, people can:
perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web
contribute to the Web
Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including:
- auditory
- cognitive
- neurological
- physical
- speech
- visual
Web accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, for example:
- people using mobile phones, smart watches, smart TVs, and other devices with small screens, different input modes, etc.
- older people with changing abilities due to ageing
- people with “temporary disabilities” such as a broken arm or lost glasses
- people with “situational limitations” such as in bright sunlight or in an environment where they cannot listen to audio
- people using a slow Internet connection, or who have limited or expensive bandwidth
There are 4 principles of Accessibility, often referred to as POUR: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust.
The idea of this article is not to do a deep dive on web accessibility so I will provide only a brief overview of each principle.
Perceivable: users must be able to understand the information being presented; it can’t be invisible to any of their senses.
Operable: users must be able to use the interface and it cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform.
Understandable: users must be able to comprehend information as well as how to use the interface.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
Accessibility on web3
In my opinion, web3 applications should start looking into adopting Accessibility from the get-go. There are many reasons for that, and I would like to highlight some of them.
It's the right thing to do
The way I see it, web3 is all about freedom but also about inclusion. Combined with blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, web3 offers an alternative to those who were alienated by traditional finance for whatever reason.
Making web3 accessible would add even more to the inclusion factor making sure everyone can take part in this revolution. We cannot accept that some people are left behind if we can help it.
It's the smart thing to do
Bringing all these users to web3 is not only the right thing to do but also a very smart move from a business perspective.
People with disabilities have nearly half a trillion dollars in disposable income. That's a lot of money that could be boosting web3 economy even further.
According to Forbes, in 2021, retailers lost nearly 1 billion dollars in sales over Christmas due to inaccessible websites.
There is a lot of money to be made online, and the financial impact of web accessibility is enormous.
Onboarding opportunity
Data shows that only 3% of the internet is accessible to people with disabilities and 1.3 billion people around the world grapple with significant disabilities.
This means there are a lot of potential users that are being partially or completely excluded from the internet. There is an enormous opportunity to onboard these people straight to web3.
Final thoughts
Web3 must start looking into Accessibility adoption from the start. It's only the right thing to do to make sure that as many people as possible are able to enjoy the real freedom and financial revolution that it brings, but it also makes sense from a business perspective.
There are millions of people around the world with some kind of disability that control nearly half a trillion dollars of disposable income, and seeing that the internet as a whole is lagging, with only 3% of it being accessible, there is a golden opportunity for Web3 to start onboarding this audience right away.
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Great post and a great point to bring up. I know that there may not be individuals to go after on web3 for being inaccessible, but it is a significant issue on the regular web. There have been numerous lawsuits filed against website owners for not having accessible websites, and even mom and pop website owners are being targeted by lawyers. However, it goes beyond legal consequences - it is the right thing to do from a human standpoint. Failing to make websites accessible means excluding a whole demographic of users.
I am really glad to see someone addressing this important issue with such a needed post.
Yes, great point. My very first accessibility project happened because one of my clients got sued for not having an accessible website.
I agree with you 100%. Beyond legal or financial reasons, it must be done simply because we cannot exclude those people.
Thanks for the kind words :)
My father is 93. He uses a Chromebook. He likes the voice typing because he can't see that well. But that only works on Google docs. Yesterday he was on a website to send a condolence message. That site did not have voice typing. It was a struggle for him to type a message. Would be great if more websites had that capability
Definitely. We need to make sure we can include people like your dad in all aspects of digital society.
And wow, 93 and using the internet! A real trooper :)
Thanks for sharing that!
You're welcome and Thank you @tokenizedsociety!
Yeah, he does arlight for the most part.
Have a great day😆
I also think that's the right way to go, to bake in web accessibility right from the start on web3. It fits well with the tenets of inclusivity and freedom. Sometimes, It can be so frustrating when one wants to do something useful on the web but is limited by the lack of proper accessibility.
That's very true. Everyone loses. This needs to be addressed
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