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Goldman Sachs, L’Oreal website class actions overview:
- Who: Goldman Sachs and L’Oreal have each been hit with class action lawsuits alleging their websites are not accessible to visually impaired people using a screen reader.
- Why: The plaintiffs say the inaccessibility is a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
- Where: The lawsuits were filed in New York federal courts.
Goldman Sachs and L’Oreal have each been hit with class action lawsuits alleging their websites are not accessible to visually impaired people using a screen reader.
The plaintiffs say the inaccessibility is a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
Plaintiff Marina Iskhakova filed her class action lawsuit against L’Oreal USA, Inc. Aug. 15 in a New York federal court. Plaintiff Alexandra Hobbs filed her class action against Goldman Sachs & Co LLC and The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., Aug. 15 in a different New York federal court.
Both plaintiffs are visually impaired and legally blind persons who require screen-reading software to read website content using their computers.
Based on a 2010 U.S. Census Bureau report, approximately 8.1 million people in the United States are visually impaired, including 2.0 million who are blind, the lawsuits state.
Goldman Sachs class action claims website not accessible with screen reader
Hobbs alleges that Goldman Sachs’ website, www.goldmansachs.com/index.html, is not equally accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers and that it violates the ADA.
She says that during her visits to the website—most recently in August— she encountered multiple access barriers that denied her a shopping experience similar to that of a sighted person.
The Goldman Sachs website allegedly is full of redundant links, empty links and missing alt text, which confuses the screen reader, the Goldman Sachs class action says.
As a result, Hobbs claims she was unable to purchase financial planning services and other services available on the website or ascertain information relating to pricing, investments, tax advice, retirement planning and privacy policies.
L’Oreal class action alleges website lacks alt text
Meanwhile, Iskhakova alleges a L’Oreal’s website, www.saloncentric.com, is not equally accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers.
She says many features on the website lack alt text, which is the invisible code embedded beneath a graphical image.
As a result, she was unable to differentiate what products were on the screen, and added that the website also contains a host of broken links and pages that contain the same title elements.
“These access barriers effectively denied Plaintiff the ability to use and enjoy Defendant’s website the same way sighted individuals do,” the L’Oreal class action says.
Iskhakova looks to represent all legally blind people in the United States who tried to use the saloncentric.com website and could not plus a New York subclass.
Hobbes would like to represent all legally blind people in the United States who tried to use the goldmansachs.com website and could not plus a New York subclass.
Both plaintiffs seek a permanent injunction to cause a change in the defendants’ corporate policies, practices and procedures so the websites will become and remain accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers.
Both also request certification of the class actions, an injunction, damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.
Meanwhile, Ally Financial and Morgan Stanley also failed to design, construct and maintain their websites so that they are fully accessible for individuals who are blind or visually impaired, new class action lawsuits allege.
What do you think of the allegations in these ADA cases? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Hobbs is represented by Michael A. LaBollita, Jeffrey M. Gottlieb and Dana L. Gottlieb of Gottlieb & Associates.
Iskhakova is represented by Mark Rozenberg of Stein Saks, PLLC.
The L’Oreal class action lawsuit is Marina Iskhakova v. L’Oreal USA, Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-04801-RPK-RLM, in a U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
The Goldman Sachs class action lawsuit is Alexandra Hobbs v. Goldman Sachs & Co., LLC et al., Case No. 1:22-cv-06944, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
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4 thoughts onGoldman Sachs, L’Oreal class actions allege website inaccessible to blind users
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Sadly same here add me too please
Please add me I feel they should have a talking website for people like myself and others that have vision problems it is very hard to see everything online being partially blind they need to have larger Boulder print or talking web pages
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