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Redbox Automated Retail LLC has agreed to settle a class action lawsuit alleging its video rental kiosks in California are not accessible to blind users. The company agreed to pay $1.2 million to eligible Class Members and to make modifications to its kiosks and website to allow blind and visually-impaired users to use Redbox services independently.
The Redbox class action lawsuit was filed in January 2012 by Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a California corporation dedicated to serving the blind and visually impaired, and five plaintiffs who allege they were unable to rent movies at Redbox kiosks in Save Mart Supermarkets in California. California law offers plaintiffs $1,000 per incident under the Disabled Persons Act, or $4,000 per incident under the Unruh Act.
Redbox offers a nationwide video rental service through a vast network of self-service video kiosks. These kiosks provide a convenient way for customers to rent movies and video games. According to the class action settlement documents, Redbox customers can rent a DVD for just $1.20 per night.
Under the terms of the Redbox class action settlement, the company agrees to make changes to its kiosks and its website to improve the accessibility to blind and visually-impaired users. Until these changes are implemented, Redbox is providing legally blind users with access to its video rental services by telephone. A customer service agent will assist users by remotely browsing, selecting and vending games and videos. Redbox says this service will remain in place at least until it completes the modifications of its California kiosks.
The modifications proposed in the Redbox class action settlement include equipping existing Redbox kiosks in California with a nonvisual user interface that will allow blind and visually-impaired individuals to browse, select, pay for and return movies and games independently. These proposed modifications include a standard headphone jack, tactile keypad and text-to-speech output that will read the text on the screen.
Class Members of the proposed Redbox class action settlement would include all legally blind individuals who have attempted but have been unable to access the products or services available at Redbox kiosks in California (or deterred from accessing the products or services) since Jan. 12, 2010. The parties estimate that between 300 and 1,200 claimants are eligible for benefits under the terms of the Redbox settlement.
Under the terms of the Redbox class action settlement, Lighthouse will implement user testing of the modified kiosks and report to the company on a quarterly basis about its findings. Lighthouse will receive $85,000 to monitor the kiosks and the website for accessibility. Redbox also agrees to contribute $1.2 million to Class Members who submit valid claims. Class Members could be eligible to receive between $1,000 and $4,000, depending on the number of claims filed.
The plaintiffs are represented by Laurence W. Paradis, Stuart Seaborn and Michael S. Nunez of Disability Rights Advocates and Jay Koslofsky of Law Offices of Jay Koslofsky.
The Redbox ADA Class Action Lawsuit is Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, et al. v. Redbox Automated Retail LLC, et al., Case NO. 4:12-cv-00195, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
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11 thoughts onRedbox Reaches $1.2M Class Action Settlement with Blind Users
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This is wack, redbox is lame but that lawsuit against them is more lame. They might as well sue every car manufacturer for not having vehicles readily available to people who can’t see. Or sue every video game company when a blind person feels left out. …the definition of, “Disability” is just that. – Limited abilities. Cope and get over it. Pretty soon blind peoples attorney’s will be filing lawsuits against natural selection for their own clients weaknesses.
Hey thee. Are the checks on their way? Thanks
I got a email. No word on the amount
Did anyone get an email from the adminstrator saying the checks were in the mail? Thanks.
I am glad this has happened, I remember talking about my mom about how the redbox machines can’t be used by the blind. I didn’t even know they had a number for the blind. There are a lot of things we can do blind, but there are some things that it takes a lawsuit to bring to the attention of some major companies! I mean, it took apple 2years to allow voiceover in IOS, and google about the same time to allow access in android. Also, a lot of sighted people who don’t think about this, may not notice the headphone jack in there local bank’s ATM. This is a feature that a blind person could use and it allows him to use the ATM in privacy. THis is something the blind haven’t had in a long time! Oh ya, and this blog has an audio Captcha (the little letters in the image), some sights don’t even offer that:)
Make sure the kiosks have a drive-up feature so blind people can drive their cars to them.
What for? Sighted people get out of their cars. No reason we can’t either. Perhaps it’s you who really wants that.
ABOUT TIME THEY CHANGE IT FOR US. I’VE TRIED ALOT OVER THE YEARS, TO SEE IF THEY INCLUDED US YET, AND THEY HADN’T..GLAD SOMEBODY GOT THERE ATTENTION… tHANKS, PATTIE
Wow, I’m partial blind, what my doctor told me, doc told my daughter she was legally blind but she still drive. and work, she wear glasses and so do I. I have a doctor statement, proof enough.
This is the dumbest shit I ever seen.