FTC orders AI accessibility startup accessiBe to pay $1M for misleading advertising

Quick Summary:

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has fined accessiBe, a startup that claims to make websites more compatible with the screen readers blind people rely on to access the internet, for false advertising and compensating reviewers without disclosing that it sponsored the reviews.

The company pitches its services as a shield against lawsuits for noncompliance with the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal civil rights law that protects people with disabilities from discrimination.

But it has been accused of adopting a “defensive,” dismissive style of engagement with the accessibility community — and of making lofty claims.

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Article Details

Author / Journalist: Kyle Wiggers

Category: Technology

Markets: United States

Topics: Accessibility Disabled Accessibe Apps Blind FTC Complaint Startups Startup Web accessibility Order AI

Source Website Secure: Yes (HTTPS)

News Sentiment: Positive

Fact Checked: Legitimate

Article Type: News Report

Published On: 2025-01-03 @ 18:46:22 (2 days ago)

News Timezone: GMT -5:00

News Source URL: techcrunch.com

Language: English

Article Length: 604 words

Reading Time: 4 minutes read

Sentences: 21 lines

Sentence Length: 29 words per sentence (average)

Platforms: Desktop Web, Mobile Web, iOS App, Android App

Copyright Owner: © TechCrunch

News ID: 24862672

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