Target store to pay $6m in web accessibility payout
2 September 2008
American clothing store Target has agreed to pay the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) $6m for breaking accessibility laws on its website.
The US charity sued the clothing retailer for its website, which the NFB claimed blind users would not be able to navigate.
The web accessibility payout means that blind users in California can claim up to 7000 dollars in damages, if they encountered difficulties using the Target store's website.
Launched in 2006, blind student Bruce Sexton Junior sued Target in partnership with the NFB based on the claim that the Target store's website did not allow blind individuals to use accessible commands such as keyboard controls to buy clothes from Target.com.
He said: This settlement marks a new chapter in making Web sites accessible to the blind. I commend Target for committing to being a leader in online accessibility.
Dr Marc Maurer, president of the NFB, said: Access to Web sites is critical to the full and equal participation of blind people in all aspects of modern life.
He added that he hoped It is our sincere hope that other businesses providing goods and services over the Internet will follow Target's example and take affirmative steps to provide full access to their Web sites by blind consumers.
Target store, which owns over 1,400 shops across most states in the USA, declined to state that its website was inaccessible to blind users.
But Steve Eastman, president of Target.com admitted that he was pleased to have reached an agreement with the National Federation of the Blind,
and that the online Target store will work with the NFB on further refinements to our website.
