Overlays

Accessibility overlays are one-line-of-code products/services that are marketed as an effective solution to website barriers that protect those that use one from legal problems. They do not. Instead, overlays often block many disabled people from full and equal use of websites. And hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against organizations using them.

This topic gathers the articles on this website about these overlays. If you don't have time to read them all, at a minimum visit the Overlay Fact Sheet, a resource collecting articles about the harms of overlays and the signatures of over 1,000 accessibility leaders (including Lainey) on this topic.

Beware of AI Accessibility Promises: US Federal Agency Fines an Overlay Company One Million Dollars After public comments, the Federal Trade Commission finalizes Order against accessiBe for misleading advertising

Posted on Updated on June 6, 2025
The new year brought weclomed digital accessibility news from the United States Federal Trade Commission, known as the FTC. The FTC is a federal (national) government agency whose mission is “protecting the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and from unfair methods of competition.” On January 3, 2025, the FTC issued a press release… Read more… Beware of AI Accessibility Promises: US Federal Agency Fines an Overlay Company One Million Dollars After public comments, the Federal Trade Commission finalizes Order against accessiBe for misleading advertising

Another Web Access Overlay Company Sued by a Small Business Class action lawsuit against UserWay alleges violations of Delaware Consumer Fraud Act and other laws

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Another class action lawsuit has been filed by a small business that purchased an overlay monthly subscription, yet still got hit with a lawsuit claiming its website was not accessible. This suit against UserWay by a small online florist, described below, is similar in scope to the class action lawsuit filed against AccessiBe, another overlay… Read more… Another Web Access Overlay Company Sued by a Small Business Class action lawsuit against UserWay alleges violations of Delaware Consumer Fraud Act and other laws

New Class Action Lawsuit against AccessiBe Overlay Company Sued for Breach of Contract, Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing +++

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On June 24, 2024 Tribeca Skin Care, a small skin care dermatology practice in New York City, filed a class action lawsuit against overlay company AccessiBe. Relying on AccessiBe’s promises about accessibility and ADA compliance, Tribeca purchased a 1-year subscription to AccessiBe’s “AccessWidget” at an annual subscription fee of $490 in August 2022. The subscription… Read more… New Class Action Lawsuit against AccessiBe Overlay Company Sued for Breach of Contract, Breach of the Covenant of Good Faith and Fair Dealing +++

Case is Over! New Low in the Accessibility “Industry:” Overlay Company Sues Globally-Recognized Accessibility Expert

Posted on Updated on January 29, 2024
This is an article about a lawsuit filed by AudioEye, a multi-million dollar accessibility company, against Adrian Roselli, a long-time leader in the global digital accessibility community. Adrian has been a vocal critic, as have I, against one-line of code software that claims to make websites accessible. AudioEye sells (licenses) an overlay. The company has… Read more… Case is Over! New Low in the Accessibility “Industry:” Overlay Company Sues Globally-Recognized Accessibility Expert

Overlays and Ethics: a conference panel that hurt my heart

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Today is the first time I had to update an article before I posted it. The original article, which you’ll find below, is about a planned session at the Zero Project accessibility conference (#ZeroCon) in February. The session was organized by a member of the German chapter of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).… Read more… Overlays and Ethics: a conference panel that hurt my heart

Legal Update: Accessibility Overlay Edition

Posted on Updated on December 7, 2023
This post originally shared four developments in the legal space about web accessibility overlays. Three are very troubling. One gives hope for stemming the tide of quick-fix “not-solutions” that can actually make websites less usable by people with disabilities. Updates add new content to the original four developments. New to the overlay issue? I first… Read more… Legal Update: Accessibility Overlay Edition

AudioEye Sues AccessiBe for Patent Infringement

Posted on Updated on October 31, 2022
On September 4, 2020, AudioEye, Inc. sued accessiBe, Ltd for patent infringement. The lawsuit between these two very well-funded digital accessibility companies was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and reported in Justia Dockets and Filings. Read the September 4, 2020 complaint in AudioEye v. accessiBe. (An amended… Read more… AudioEye Sues AccessiBe for Patent Infringement

HR and Payroll Software Leader ADP to Enhance Product Accessibility

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On December 16, 2021, the non-profit law office Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) announced an agreement with HR software giant ADP that will improve the accessibility of ADP’s products used by employees of the San Francisco LightHouse for the Blind. Originally filed as a lawsuit in September of 2020, the agreement states that On January 27,… Read more… HR and Payroll Software Leader ADP to Enhance Product Accessibility