The Importance of Web Accessibility in 15 Stats

Making their websites accessible to people of all abilities is one of the most concrete ways for businesses to ensure inclusive and welcoming experiences for both their customers and employees. Prioritizing web accessibility can also help businesses expand market reach and mitigate legal risk.

1. Based on UsableNet's 2021 ADA Digital Accessibility Lawsuits report, which covers websites, mobile, and video, over 4,000 lawsuits were filed in 2022. Nearly 500 of these lawsuits, or 15% were against companies that had been sued for digital accessibility before. (Data source)
2. Between 2017 and 2021, the number of ADA-related lawsuits went up 400%. (Data source)
3. 74% of digital accessibility lawsuits in 2021 were against e-commerce companies. (Data source)
4. In a 2021 AudioEye survey of assistive technology users, 54% of respondents said they feel that e-commerce companies "don't care about earning their business." (Data source)
5. According to the Global Economics of Disability 2020 report, people with disabilities control $1.9 trillion in disposable income. That number reaches over $10 trillion, when their friends and families are included. (Data source)

One of the paradoxes in web accessibility today is that while the general awareness for it is growing - fueled by the rise of accessibility lawsuits and diversity and inclusion investments - there is still a tremendous lack of practical information and transparency on how to implement accessibility best practices.

To learn more about the key challenges in web accessibility today and how to close the digital accessibility gap, check out AudioEye's white paper on Building for Digital Accessibility at Scale.