Major online shopping platforms must provide screen reader compatibility for visually impaired users, South Korea’s Supreme Court said in a recent ruling.
The top court last month partly ruled in favor of visually impaired plaintiffs who had filed a discrimination lawsuit against e-commerce operators Gmarket, SSG.com and Lotte Shopping.
Lower courts had also found the lack of accessibility features discriminatory and ordered the platforms to install screen reader support, including detailed product descriptions, within six months of the final ruling.
However, the plaintiffs’ request for 2 million won ($1,340) in compensation per person was rejected at the appellate level and upheld by the Supreme Court.
“Based on the text and legislative intent of the anti-discrimination law, alternative text should be provided for a website to be considered accessible,” the court said. It added that the platforms could not be held liable for damages, citing a lack of intent or negligence.
The plaintiffs criticized the ruling, saying it failed to fully protect their rights, and filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court. The complaint, a mechanism introduced last month, allows individuals to challenge decisions at the top court they believe violate constitutional rights.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
