Online activity remains difficult for those with vision impairment, research shows
New research shows that people who are blind or have vision impairment issues say that the online world remains difficult to navigate for them.
This comes one year after the European Accessibility Act came into force, which requires businesses to meet strict accessibility rules for digital interfaces, physical terminals and communication services.
The research, carried out by Vision Ireland, is based on responses from 208 people across Leinster. The findings show that only 3% of respondents have noticed a significant improvement in website and digital service accessibility since this law was introduced.
Further findings show that 43% of respondents reported no improvement, while 32% were not even aware that the legislation existed.
CEO of Vision Ireland, Chris White, said: “The European Accessibility Act was meant to remove barriers, but for many people, those barriers are still there every time they go online”, he said. He added that while the legislation marked a significant step forward, awareness and understanding remain low across both users and businesses. “We're seeing a worrying disconnect. People are still struggling to access basic services online, and many organisations do not understand what compliance looks like. That has to change.”
Vision Ireland say that despite widespread issues, enforcement of the EU law appears to be limited. In their research, they found data that suggested there were 56 complaints recorded under the European Accessibility Act in the first year, including 52 tot the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Sean Doran, Head of Technology at Vision Ireland, said: “Most businesses believe their websites are accessible, but when tested, the vast majority fail on basic standards. These are not complex problems to fix, but they require awareness and action. The risk now is not just exclusion, but legal and reputational consequences. We are encouraging every organisation to start with a simple accessibility check,” Doran said. “Fixing the basics can have an immediate impact on people’s ability to access services independently. This is about inclusion, but it is also the law.”