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DOJ forces online grocer Peapod to make website accessible to disabled
The Hill ^ | November 17, 2014 | Lydia Wheeler

Posted on 11/18/2014 1:12:04 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks

The Justice Department reached an agreement Monday with Peapod, a popular Internet grocer, to settle claims that the company’s website discriminated against people with disabilities.

The agreement forces Peapod LLC and parent company Ahold USA to update www.peapod.com so assistive technologies like text-to-speech and Braille displays function with the site.

The DOJ hailed the action as ensuring that anti-discrimination laws under the Americans with Disabilities Act apply to Internet businesses as well as brick and mortar stores.

“This agreement ensures that people with disabilities will have an equal opportunity to independently and conveniently shop online for groceries,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, of the department’s civil rights division.

“We applaud Peapod for working cooperatively with the department and for its commitment to customers with disabilities.”

Peapod will be required to adopt a formal web accessibility policy, hire an accessibility coordinator, auto test the website for openness and solicit feedback from customers on how site can be improved.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a company cannot exclude, deny service to, segregate or treat differently people who are hearing or vision impaired.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ada; agreement; aholdusa; braille; discrimination; doj; dojoutofcontrol; giant; nannystate; peapod; testtospeech; texttospeech; website
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To: GeronL

. .._—>. ,”’., —;; .......I know what you are saying but I’m not available Saturday night.


41 posted on 11/18/2014 1:49:04 PM PST by Safetgiver ( Islam makes barbarism look genteel.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

It probably will doom many small business websites. I suppose someone will invent a program that can be incorporated into websites for braille or other disabilities—but will it be cheap enough to make it financially feasible for mom and pop operations to install it and keep it current.

I’m putting my website that is under construction on permanent hold.


42 posted on 11/18/2014 1:50:16 PM PST by wildbill (If you check behind the shower curtain for a murderer, and find one... what's your plan?)
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To: Stormdog

“It’s OK. The dog is driving.”

She’s better at it than many of the people on the road.


43 posted on 11/18/2014 1:50:26 PM PST by Proud2BeRight
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To: GeronL
"-.- .. -. -.. .-.. -.--
... .. -
--- -.
.. -
.- -. -..
.-. --- - .- - ."
44 posted on 11/18/2014 1:52:56 PM PST by Steely Tom (Thank you for self-censoring.)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

We’ll get right on making ramps for the website.


45 posted on 11/18/2014 1:55:38 PM PST by Darksheare (People who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
"The ADA has been used as a club to extort money form businesses for years "

No kidding. My wife and I get a kick out of all the "Hoists" suddenly seen at swimming pools at Hawaii resorts. They just appeared one year due to ADA I gather.

In the years they have been there, at God knows what $$ in install, never seen one used.

What a clusterfudge and waste of money.

46 posted on 11/18/2014 1:56:02 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: Vendome
...to inhibit a competitor,,

It does seem that way. Somebody would have to explain to me why the disabled's needs couldn't be met if the company had a toll free help option.

You'd think there'd be a tech option that translated into braille when printed.

47 posted on 11/18/2014 1:56:24 PM PST by grania
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To: GeronL

You must be from South Africa.


48 posted on 11/18/2014 1:57:26 PM PST by tbpiper
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To: tbpiper

lol... whut?


49 posted on 11/18/2014 1:58:05 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: Tolerance Sucks Rocks

When we have Braille computers and tablets, maybe this will work.


50 posted on 11/18/2014 1:58:48 PM PST by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Implementing class warfare by having no class.)
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To: Steely Tom

was that a Haiku?


51 posted on 11/18/2014 1:58:50 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: a fool in paradise

lolmeez


52 posted on 11/18/2014 1:58:58 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: a fool in paradise
Porn for the blind?

YES!^this.

53 posted on 11/18/2014 1:58:59 PM PST by Drango (A liberal's compassion is limited only by the size of someone else's wallet.)
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To: Proud2BeRight

“I’m just glad my bank’s drive-up ATM has braille.”

You can joke about it all you want (typical heartless Freeper) but I’m sure that is quite helpful for all of the blind drivers in the country. /s

.


54 posted on 11/18/2014 1:59:12 PM PST by Mears
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To: a fool in paradise

Braille porn sites will be real popular.


55 posted on 11/18/2014 2:00:37 PM PST by reg45 (Barack 0bama: Implementing class warfare by having no class.)
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To: Quality_Not_Quantity
And most browsers have text-to-speech capabilities built in.

If the text is sent as text. If it is embedded in images the text-to-speech won't read it.

I'm trying to think of what a bricks and mortar grocery store does for the blind? The products don't have braille on them and the signs on the shelves don't either. Maybe the ADA requires that a store employee helps the blind shopper which isn't an option on a website.

56 posted on 11/18/2014 2:02:15 PM PST by KarlInOhio (The IRS: either criminally irresponsible in backup procedures or criminally responsible of coverup.)
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To: Steely Tom

I read that on a stucco wall once.
It was by a blind graffiti. mason.


57 posted on 11/18/2014 2:02:26 PM PST by GOYAKLA (Waiting for the Golden Screw to be removed from Obama's navel and his a$$ falls off!)
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To: Steely Tom

QSA 5/5

QRK 0/1

3DITS 4DITS 2DITS DAH

Radio, Radio RAH RAH RAH

Copied Morse Code for 20 yrs and it didn’t bother me a bit did it did it did it


58 posted on 11/18/2014 2:04:59 PM PST by xrmusn ((6/98) Would love to buy BO for what he is worth, then sell him for what he thinks he is worth.)
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To: KarlInOhio

Be careful of perverts in the vegetable section if you are blind.
...... ...... ..... .... .. ....


59 posted on 11/18/2014 2:07:20 PM PST by GOYAKLA (Waiting for the Golden Screw to be removed from Obama's navel and his a$$ falls off!)
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To: Proud2BeRight

“She’s better at it than many of the people on the road.”

I’m not going to argue with that!!!


60 posted on 11/18/2014 2:08:25 PM PST by Stormdog (A rifle transforms one from subject to Citizen)
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