In today's technology-driven society, retailers are
increasingly using the Internet to provide information, goods, and
services to the public. While having a website is almost a
mandatory aspect of operating a retail business, it's important
to ensure that the website does not also market the business to
potential lawsuits. Websites have become the new hotbed of
litigation brought under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
and retailers who are increasingly relying on their Web presence
need to take note.
What Does the ADA Require?
Title III of the ADA prohibits disability discrimination by
places of public accommodation, including retail stores and
shopping centers.
When Congress enacted the ADA in 1990, the existence of the
Internet and the pervasiveness it holds in today's society was
all but unfathomable. As such, the ADA does not specifically
address website accessibility. However, as Congress expressly
stated when passing the ADA, "the types of
