Gimlet Media Case Study: The Importance of Podcast Accessibility
The frequency of web accessibility lawsuits has been in a steady uptrend for the past 3 years. Several established companies such as Home Depot and Lowe’s have been dragged to court for lack of accessibility. But, the most recent instance of such a lawsuit is of Gimlet Media for their lack of podcast accessibility.
In July 2020, the New York-based digital media company was sued by Kahlimah Jones, who contended that the platform violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) since it does not provide closed captioning on several podcasts. Gimlet Media company is owned by the streaming giant Spotify. A lawsuit against a media company of this size raises pressing questions regarding media and tech companies’ accessibility initiatives.
The Details
The plaintiff, Kahlimah Jones, filed a complaint stating the Gimlet Media’s online presence does not provide adequate accessibility for users with hearing disabilities. As per the lawsuit, numerous podcasts published by the company did not offer closed captions and therefore, violated Title III of ADA.
The plaintiff, who herself has impaired hearing, wanted to listen to a few podcasts. However, she found several accessibility [...]