Digital accessibility

Alles wird digitaler – auch Barrieren. Deshalb verpflichtet das Barrierefreiheitsstärkungsgesetz nun auch private Unternehmen, digitale Produkte und Dienstleistungen bis Juni 2025 barrierefrei zu gestalten. Bei Verstößen drohen Bußgelder von bis zu 100.000 Euro. Wir klären auf, was das für Sie bedeutet und wie Sie jetzt vorgehen sollten.

When most people think of accessibility, they think of ramps instead of stairs for people in wheelchairs. However, comparable barriers also exist in the digital space, for example in the form of small font sizes, weak colour contrasts, lack of alt text for screen readers or difficult language. Digital accessibility ensures that all users can access information effortlessly and make full use of the digital offer - including people with disabilities, older people and non-digital natives.

The introduction of the Deutschlandticket shows how things should not work. At the start of sales, only the digital Deutschlandticket was available. People who do not own a smartphone, are not familiar with the necessary functionalities or simply do not have an internet connection were thus excluded from the purchase from the outset. A questionable solution from both an ethical and an economic point of view. In the meantime, there is an alternative in the form of a paper ticket with a QR code.

Accessible websites are already mandatory for federal, state, local and legal entities. Thanks to the European Accessibility Act, accessibility will also be mandatory for private companies from 2025. By 28 June 2025 at the latest, web-based services such as online trading, online banking and the use of audio-visual media must be accessible.

Companies face severe sanctions if they do not comply with the EU directive. For example, the market surveillance authority can order that an offer or the provision of a service be discontinued if it is not made available in an accessible manner. Furthermore, lack of accessibility can be treated as an administrative offence and punished with a fine of up to 100,000 euros.

Accessible websites and apps are easier to use for everyone and do not put people without disabilities at a disadvantage. On the contrary: inclusive design takes into account not only permanent limitations but also temporary and situational restrictions. For example, not only hearing-impaired people benefit from video subtitles. People in open-plan offices or public places where videos can rarely be played with sound also take advantage of this feature. So accessibility is not just about inclusion, but about design that excludes no one as much as possible.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, there are 7.8 million people in Germany who are classified as severely disabled. 97% of them have acquired the disability in the course of their lives. The purchasing power of this group is estimated at 720 million euros annually. These figures will increase as society ages. With the help of barrier-free design, these people are given the opportunity to participate and you can casually increase your target group.  

Because accessibility improves overall usability, Google's algorithm ranks accessible websites better. As a result, you will benefit from better search engine rankings in the long run if websites are thought about holistically and set up flawlessly from the start.