Etsy Class Action Alleges Website Inaccessible To Blind, Visually Impaired

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Etsy Accessibility Class Action Lawsuit Overview:

• Who: Etsy faces a class action lawsuit filed by a would-be customer. 
• Why: The complaint alleges that Etsy’s website fails to be accessible to visually-impaired and legally blind people.
• Where: The Etsy class action lawsuit was filed in New York federal court.

Etsy faces a class action lawsuit that alleges the company’s website is inaccessible to visually-impaired and legally blind people, thus violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Lamar Brown, a visually-impaired and legally blind person, visited the Etsy website to purchase a Mother’s Day necklace. Due to lack of accessibility measures on Etsy.com, Brown was unable to navigate the website and make his purchase, the complaint states.

The blind have an even greater need than the sighted to shop and conduct transactions online due to the challenges faced in mobility,” the complaint argues. “Blind customers are essentially prevented from purchasing any items on Etsy.com.”

Brown seeks to represent a nationwide class and a New York state subclass that includes all legally blind individuals who have attempted to access Etsy.com and have been denied access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered by Etsy.com, during the relevant statutory period.

Etsy Lacks Website Accessibility, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

Blind and visually impaired people often use screen-reading software to access the internet. This software requires a website’s information to be capable of being rendered into text. The Etsy class action complaint notes that the World Wide Web Consortium (the international website standards organization), several courts, and the federal government have published standard guidelines for website accessibility.

Etsy denies blind and visually impaired people equal access to its website, goods, and services in several ways, according to Brown. These include: lack of alt-text (invisible code embedded into pictures) on graphics, inaccessible drop-down menus, lack of proper prompting and labeling, selective denial of keyboard access, and requiring transactions be performed solely with a mouse.

Have you been prevented from accessing Etsy’s website? You may qualify for this class action!

The plaintiff is represented by Mars Khaimov of Mars Khaimov Law, PLLC.

The Etsy Accessibility Class Action Lawsuit is Brown v. Etsy Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-4174, in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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