ADA Website Accessibility Lawsuit: a fast-food chain's mobile app

Plaintiff Aishia Petersen has filed an ADA Title III lawsuit against a fast-food chain operating a mobile e-commerce application in the United States District Court, Southern District of Florida, on December 15, 2020, alleging that its digital platform is inaccessible to visually impaired users.

The complaint alleges several specific accessibility barriers on the mobile app, including form fields improperly announcing as generic 'text field' or 'secure text field' instead of their actual labels, buttons with incorrect audio announcements like 'Tab 3 of 5' instead of functional descriptions, small touch targets, and poor contrast. Additionally, error messages on forms are visually displayed but not announced or given keyboard focus, and various app buttons lack proper roles, rendering them inaccessible to screen readers.

This legal action underscores the imperative for all businesses, especially those in the e-commerce sector providing mobile applications, to ensure their digital platforms comply with ADA Title III requirements and WCAG 2.1 A guidelines. Companies failing to provide auxiliary aids and services for effective communication risk similar litigation, potential permanent injunctions, and significant legal costs.