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Archive for October, 2006

National Federation for the Blind - A Frivolous Lawsuit

Wednesday, October 25th, 2006 | | 2 Comments

The National Federation for the Blind is currently suing Target because their website isn’t user friendly for blind people. Apparently, a software program called Jaws enables blind people to surf the Internet, but Target’s website is not compatible with the software. Because of this, the NFB decided to sue Target.

A judge in Northern California decided that the website is not in compliance with the American Disablities Act, and is therefore allowing the trial to proceed. (It is currently in the discovery phase in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California.) The problem with this is that the act, enabled in 1990, mentions nothing of blind-friendly websites.

Give me a break! (To borrow a line from John Stossel.) I can understand that blind users of the Internet may, perhaps, be frustrated with websites that are not as user friendly as others, but frivilous lawsuits only end up costing other customers money. When Target settles the case, which inevitably they will do, they will pass the costs on to the other customers, who have done nothing wrong, yet they will be punished for it. If the NFB really wanted to make a difference, they would shame Target and other companies into creating websites that cater more to blind users. Give them bad publicity, or challenge them to make positive changes. Suing only creates more expensive products for other shoppers. Besides, there are many companies that have taken it upon themselves to create sites that are as user-friendly as possible for the blind in order to attract their business. (Best Buy is one such company.)

I get so tired of frivolous lawsuits, and I am certainly tired of the ADA bullying companies around, threatening lawsuits if the bathrooms in businesses are one inch too narrow (yet still wheelchair compatible). The ADA was created for a good purpose, and that was to be sure Americans with disabilities will be taken care of, and not discriminated against. Instead, with all of the lawsuits they file, they end up costing other taxpayers and consumers money, just to prove a point. I hope this case is dropped, because I’m tired of rising costs of goods because someone wants to make a point. If Target doesn’t want to create a website that is user friendly for blind people, let them suffer the natural consequences of losing customers. Suing only punishes the innocent in cases such as this.