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Strand bookstore website accessibility overview:
- Who: A legally blind woman sued the Strand bookstore.
- Why: The plaintiff says the bookstore’s website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired people using a screen reader.
- Where: The Strand bookstore class action lawsuit was filed in a New York federal court.
The Strand bookstore fails to make its website fully accessible to blind or visually impaired people in violation of the law, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
Plaintiff Marta Hanyzkiewicz filed the class action lawsuit against Strand Book Store Inc. Dec. 19 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
According to the lawsuit, Hanyzkiewicz is a visually impaired and legally blind person who requires screen-reading software to read website content using her computer.
She says, on multiple occasions, she visited www.strandbooks.com to make a purchase.
“Despite her efforts, however, Plaintiff was denied a shopping experience similar to that of a sighted individual due to the website’s lack of a variety of features and accommodations, which effectively barred Plaintiff from being able to determine what specific products were offered for sale,” the Strand website class action states.
Strand website contains multiple access barriers, lawsuit alleges.
Many features on the website lack alt text, which is the invisible code embedded beneath a graphical image, Hanyzkiewicz alleges. As a result, she is unable to differentiate what products are on the screen.
Other issues included lack of title attributes, broken links and repeat title elements, the Strand class action states.
Hanyzkiewicz looks to represent a nationwide class of legally blind individuals who tried to access the Strand’s website and were denied equal enjoyment of its goods and services.
She seeks a permanent injunction to cause a change in the Strand’s corporate policies, practices and procedures so that its website will become and remain accessible to blind and visually impaired consumers. She also seeks damages, fees, costs and a jury trial.
Meanwhile, hair product company Bumble and Bumble also faces a recent class action alleging its website is not accessible to blind and visually impaired people using a screen reader.
What do you think of the allegations against the Strand bookstore in this case? Let us know in the comments!
The plaintiff is represented by Mark Rozenberg of Stein Saks PLLC.
The Strand website class action lawsuit is Marta Hanyzkiewicz v. Strand Book Store Inc., Case No. 1:22-cv-07709, in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of New York.
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