2025 Digital Accessibility Index

Legal Landscape

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KEY REQUIREMENTS

With new requirements on the horizon, WCAG conformance is a must

Over the next 6 to 18 months, regulations like the European Accessibility Act (EAA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will start enforcing clear technical standards for web accessibility. Companies across both public and private sectors must comply with WCAG 2.1 to improve accessibility and reduce legal risk.

  • Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

    Organizations that receive federal funding (or contract with agencies that do) must ensure the accessibility of their websites and digital services.

    Relevant Standards:
    Compliance requires meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

    Deadline:
    April 2026 or April 2027 (based on entity size)

  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

    Schools, healthcare providers, and other organizations that receive federal funds must ensure the accessibility of their websites and digital services.

    Relevant Standards:
    Compliance requires meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

    Deadline:
    Ongoing enforcement with increasing scrutiny

  • European Accessibility Act (EAA)

    Companies that sell to EU customers must ensure their websites and digital services are accessible to people with disabilities.

    Relevant Standards:
    Compliance requires following EN 301 549, which aligns with WCAG 2.1 AA.

    Deadline:
    June 28, 2025

MOST COMMON VIOLATIONS

Of the 32 WCAG 2.2 Level A/AA violations that our automated technology can identify today, 11 appeared on at least two-thirds of the pages scanned. These issues, ranging from vague links to missing form labels, directly impact navigation and understanding for people with disabilities.

When accessibility barriers persist across a website, they don’t just contribute to a poor user experience — they can also increase legal risk. Many web accessibility lawsuits and demand letters stem from repeated failures of the same accessibility issue.

Here are four of the most frequent WCAG violations and why they matter:

  • 98%

    of pages have buttons, labels, or text that fails to meet minimum contrast requirements

    WCAG 1.4.3: Contrast (minimum)

  • 80%

    of pages have links that lack clear, descriptive text, making navigation harder for screen reader users

    WCAG 2.4.4: Link Purpose

  • 75%

    of pages fail to provide alternative text for all images, creating barriers for non-sighted users

    WCAG 1.1.1: Non-Text Content

  • 62%

    of pages have input fields or buttons that are not properly labeled for screen reader users

    WCAG 3.3.2: Labels or Instructions

Uncover the biggest barriers on your site

Get a free scan of any URL to learn which WCAG requirements you fail most often.