The accessibility of a website is essential for people with disabilities. In this regard, the public sector is far ahead of the private sector. Regarding the latter, banks are in the lead in the area of accessibility while those of e-commerce have the worst performance.
According to Fabrique du Net, between 15% and 20% of the population suffer from a disability, of one form or another: sight, hearing, mobility disability. This represents 12 million francs, a significant figure. The widespread digitization of administrative procedures on the one hand and the potential loss of millions of visitors to private websites on the other, are two arguments that advocate for the development of website accessibility.
The recent Contentsquare Foundation barometer highlights a striking deficit in this area, indicating that in France, one website out of two is not accessible in the sense of accessibility. Online inclusion warning sign. However, the legislation requires the publication of two main elements. The first is a declaration of accessibility, which is the result of an effective evaluation of the conformity of the online public communication service including conformity, reporting of unavailable content, help, etc.). The second, the drafting of a multi-year plan lasting a maximum of three years, which presents the policy of the relevant places in the field of accessibility.
Over the past six months, the Contentsquare Foundation and its partners have conducted audits on a selection of the 50 most visited French websites. The result is explicit about essential daily procedures: finding information, shopping online, performing administrative procedures or managing your finances.
An obvious deficit in accessibility of websites, especially those in the private sector
The findings of the barometer are clear. Only one site in 50 fully complies with the regulations. Legal non-compliance is not the priority of the 64% of entities that do not publish their accessibility. A result undoubtedly resulting from the fact that the clients of web developers do not ask them, for reasons of cost or ignorance of the law.
Overall, 52% of the audited websites have a compliance rate of less than 50% according to the analyzed criteria. However, there are many differences between the sectors mentioned in the barometer. Public sector websites are the most advanced in terms of accessibility with an average compliance rate of 69%. Among all the sites checked, only one, in the public sector, fully meets accessibility standards.
These results are summarized in the graph below.
E-commerce sites are last in class with an average compliance rate of 36%. A figure that speaks for itself. At the top of the private websites most respectful of accessibility criteria is the banking sector with a compliance rate of 61%. As for mass media, they are below average, with a rate of 44%.
To achieve legal compliance, employees must be recruited or upgraded in their skills on this subject. Of the 14,000 digital career training courses in France, very few include accessibility training.
The evolution of disability inclusion considerations for websites will be the subject of the next Contentsquare Foundation barometer.