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Fastiv, Ukraine - October 19, 2011: Amazon start page in the browser window. The world's largest online trading goods.Amazon.com Inc. has been hit with a class action lawsuit alleging that the company’s website is inaccessible to blind users, violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Plaintiff Cedric Bishop, a legally blind Amazon user, alleges that the company’s website is inaccessible to blind and visually impaired users because it is incompatible with website readers and refreshable Braille displays.

He claims that Amazon’s failure to make its website accessible to blind readers violates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and ADA requirements.

Bishop, like many visually impaired web users, uses an audible screen reader to use the internet. Bishop says that screen-reading software is the only technology available that allows visually impaired people to use the internet.

According to the Amazon class action lawsuit, Amazon.com violates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines in not providing a text equivalent for every non-text element on its site that a screen reader can read as text to the user. The Amazon class action lawsuit argues that additionally, there is no equivalent text provided for title frames and scripts. This renders the website unusable by visually impaired visitors to the website.

Bishop says that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines are “universally followed by most large business entities and government agencies to ensure their websites are accessible,” and that “many courts have also established [the guidelines] as standard guideline for accessibility.”

The Amazon class action lawsuit argues that Amazon’s practice of not making its website compatible with web reading tools is discriminatory, as established by the ADA, which states that “no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation.”

The inaccessible Amazon website class action lawsuit argues that visually impaired users “have been and are still being denied equal access to Defendant’s retail stores and the numerous goods, services, and benefits offered to the public through the Website.”

Bishop also argues that Amazon’s inaccessible website renders him unable to access not only Amazon’s website, but Whole Foods stores, as Whole Foods is a company that Amazon recently acquired.

According to Bishop, he is unable to research the store’s products and opening hours on the company’s website. He argues that he cannot take advantage of such services as the ability to return Amazon products to his local Whole Foods location and other retailers contracted with Amazon, because he cannot research the service sufficiently online.

The plaintiff wants Amazon to comply with ADA requirements by making its website accessible to visually impaired users and seeks damages on behalf of himself and all similarly affected consumers.

Bishop is represented by Joseph H. Mizrahi of Joseph H. Mizrahi Law PC and Jeffrey M. Gottlieb and Dana L. Gottlieb of Gottlieb & Associates.

The Amazon.com Inaccessibility Class Action Lawsuit is Cedric Bishop v. Amazon.com Inc., Case No. 1:18-cv-00973, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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18 thoughts onAmazon Class Action Lawsuit Says Website Not Accessible to the Blind

  1. NotCedric Bishop says:

    Counter Law Suit and Enormous Class Action being built and coming soon against this “law firm”, Gottlieb & Associates. This is an obvious, unethical and atrocious scam, where they use an individual by the name of “Cedric Bishop” who claims his rights are being violated as he frequents tens of thousands of websites and has issues “accessing” them. There are NO laws in place, nay laws being broken and within this disgusting letter, it states “make its Website into full compliance with the requirements set forth in the ADA”, when there are no such requirements for websites, rather simply suggested guidelines to adhere to. Note, that nothing in the ADA Standards “requires” anything specific when it comes to websites. All existing lawsuits have resulted in working to “further improve accessibility”, since no “requirements” exist.These letters from Gottlieb & Associates have been sent out to thousands and thousands of companies, hoping for a response. At that time, the assumption is, anyone that responds is forced into spending unnecessary dollars and time, because they are frightened to respond. Since, no laws are actually being broken, Gottlieb & Associates would be clearly aware, yet they continue to send these letters and cause “extensive harm” to those businesses and individuals who engage. This scheme is beyond reprehensible, and therefore undoubtedly will seek significant damages and reimbursement of every wasted dollar and time spent, against Mr. Cedric Bishop and Gottlieb & Associates for knowingly engaging in such a disgusting and frivolous scam against tens of thousands of businesses and individuals. If there were laws that existed, hundreds of millions of websites would clearly work to adhere. Since they do NOT, they are NOT violating any rights, specific to ADA, when Mr. Bishop visits all of these websites and claims they do… Furthermore, it will be requested that Cedric Bishop and Gottlieb & Associates provide digital proof of each and every visit, to each and every website receiving these letters – to include date, time, browser and technical data associated to all devices being used to visit these websites. In addition, it will be required that Cedric Bishop and Gottlieb & Associates provide proof of intent to purchase, any need and any current/past utilization(s) that any and all websites receiving these letters sell and/or provide for purchase and use. If sufficient evidence does NOT exist, then the actions taken by Cedric Bishop and Gottlieb & Associates and all lawsuits filed will be deemed false and damaging, therefore a clear victory to all parties of the counter lawsuit. If and when the DOJ establishes any actual laws and/or requirements, we can revisit these false claims and suits. In the meantime, justice will be coming swiftly.

    1. Jeffrey Gottlieb says:

      The author of the post criticizing my law firm, Gottlieb & Associates, in New York City, clearly does not know what they are talking about and has intentionally stated false information. We have represented many blind and vision handicapped persons in lawsuits against companies who’s websites are not accessible due to their failure to comply with the ADA. We require the Defendant to comply with the standards set forth in WCAG 2.0 which is the standard that the U.S. government and many courts require. Notwithstanding the false claim, we have never sent a demand letter to anyone to remediate their website, we only litigate against sites that do not comply with the law to the detriment of the disabled.

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    1. Top Class Actions says:

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