FTC Charges accessiBe for Misleading Advertising and Undisclosed Endorsements
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has imposed a hefty fine on accessiBe, a startup that promises to enhance website accessibility for visually impaired users. The company allegedly misrepresented its services and sponsored reviews without proper disclosure. The FTC’s proposed order demands accessiBe pay $1 million, possibly for customer refunds, and stop exaggerating its tool’s capabilities. Additionally, the order requires clear disclosure of any connections with endorsers.
“Companies looking for help making their websites [accessibility] compliant must be able to trust that products do what they are advertised to do,” stated Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection.
{Samuel Levine, FTC}
Founded in 2018 by Dekel Skoop, Gal Vizel, and Shir Ekerling, accessiBe offers an AI-powered plugin designed to ensure compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). It markets itself as a safeguard against legal actions under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Despite raising $58.5 million from investors like K1, accessiBe faces criticism for its tools failing to meet user needs.
- Many advocacy groups claim accessiBe’s solutions hinder screen readers used by visually impaired individuals.
- Customers have launched class action lawsuits over noncompliance with ADA standards.
- The National Federation of the Blind criticized accessiBe’s practices as “disrespectful and misleading.”
In 2021, an open letter signed by over 400 advocates urged companies to abandon automated solutions like accessiBe’s. That same year saw more than 400 lawsuits against websites using such tools, reported by UsableNet.
While accessiBe isn’t alone in the automated accessibility tool market, it has been accused of defensive engagement tactics and making ambitious claims without substantiation. The FTC highlighted that accessiBe misrepresented third-party reviews as independent while hiding financial ties to reviewers.
The unanimous decision by the five FTC commissioners opens the order to public comment for 30 days before finalization.
