Digital accessibility: An essential issue for the future of the web

What does digital accessibility mean? 

According to Section 4 of the Disability Equality Act (BGG), digital accessibility refers to the use of digital products by people with various disabilities without encountering barriers. Accessibility goes beyond purely technical usage: it ensures that all parts of a product – be it a website, an app or an online shop – are accessible and usable. An accessible product takes into account a wide range of needs and abilities and ensures that it can be used by as broad a group of users as possible. 

Who needs digital accessibility? 

First and foremost, it is people with disabilities who rely on accessible digital services. In Germany, there are around 7.9 million people with a recognised severe disability, which corresponds to around 10 per cent of the population. Furthermore, more than a third of people aged 18 and over have a condition that limits their everyday activities. 

However, accessibility is not only important for people with permanent disabilities, but also for those who are temporarily or situationally restricted. For example, a broken arm or a sudden illness can make it difficult to use digital devices. Everyday situations, such as using a mobile phone in bright sunlight or filling in a complex form under time pressure, also make digital accessibility relevant to each and every one of us. 

Why is digital accessibility so important? 

Accessibility is not just an issue for a ‘marginalised group’, but affects us all. When a digital product is designed to be accessible, it is not only people with disabilities who benefit. A good example is subtitles in videos, which are essential for deaf people but also benefit many other users – whether to learn a foreign language or to concentrate better on the content of a video. 

Furthermore, accessibility plays a crucial role in search engine optimisation (SEO). An accessible website that utilises text alternatives and a semantic page structure is ranked more highly by search engines and is therefore discoverable by a wider audience. 

Legal requirements and outlook 

In addition to the practical benefits, there are also an increasing number of legal requirements obliging companies to design their digital products to be accessible. Public bodies have long been required to comply with the provisions of the Accessibility Act. For the private sector, the Act on Strengthening Accessibility (BFSG) will come into force in June 2025. This means that companies must ensure the accessibility of their digital services not only for ethical and practical reasons, but also for legal reasons. 

Conclusion 

Digital accessibility is an essential component of an inclusive society. It ensures that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can participate equally in digital life. Furthermore, incorporating accessibility also offers benefits for all users and helps to ensure that products are more user-friendly, easier to find and more successful in the long term. Anyone who neglects digital accessibility when developing their products risks not only excluding a large group of users, but also suffering competitive disadvantages. 

Further information:

Digital accessibility