Digital accessibility from 2025: What companies need to know
- What does digital accessibility mean?
- Why is digital accessibility important?
- Which law regulates digital accessibility?
- Measures for the accessible design of websites
- Accessibility of digital documents and media
- How can new technologies facilitate digital accessibility?
- Challenges and hurdles
- Conclusion: On the way to an inclusive digital society
What does digital accessibility mean?
Digital accessibility means that digital offerings such as websites, apps and documents can be used by all people without restriction - regardless of their individual impairment.
For example, an accessible website should be fully operable with a keyboard and offer screen reader support so that people with visual impairments can also use it without any problems.
Another example of digital accessibility is the provision of subtitles in videos so that people with hearing impairments can follow the content in full.
The aim of digital accessibility is to enable everyone to participate in the digital world and remove barriers.
Why is digital accessibility important?
Digital accessibility is important in order to promote an inclusive society and give everyone equal opportunities for digital participation. It contributes to social inclusion by enabling people with disabilities to use websites, apps and digital services.
There are also legal requirements that oblige companies and public institutions to provide accessible digital services.
Which law regulates digital accessibility?
Digital accessibility is regulated by the Accessibility Reinforcement Act (BFSG).
The BFSG was introduced in Germany as part of the implementation of the EU directive on accessibility requirements for products and services (European Accessibility Act).
It obliges companies and public bodies to make their digital offerings such as websites, apps and electronic services accessible so that they can be used by people with various disabilities.
The Act comes into force on June 28, 2025 and applies to companies above a certain size as well as public bodies. It contains specific guidelines on how digital accessibility must be implemented.
The requirements of the BFSG include, among other things
- Accessible design: websites and mobile applications should comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) in order to reach as many people as possible without barriers.
- Ease of use: Digital services must be designed in such a way that they can be used by people with different disabilities without any problems. This includes, for example, sufficiently large buttons, contrast settings and support for keyboard operation.
- Provision of aids: Companies must provide alternative access, such as audio descriptions for videos and alt text for images.
You can find out which companies are affected by the law and which specific requirements they have to meet on our detailed information page on the BFSG.
Measures for the accessible design of websites
In order to design an accessible website, both design and technical measures must be taken. These help to improve accessibility for people with disabilities and thus overcome digital hurdles.
Design measures
- Clear structure: Use a simple, logical page structure with easily recognizable headings. This helps people with cognitive impairments in particular, as the clear structure makes it easier to find your way around the website.
- Colors & contrasts: Make sure there is sufficient contrast between text and background to increase readability. This is helpful for people with a visual impairment, as high contrast ensures that content can be easily perceived even with impaired vision.
- Avoid flashing content: Avoid animations or flashing elements that could be distracting or trigger epilepsy. This helps people who suffer from epilepsy or poor concentration.
- Easy language: Write in easy-to-understand language and avoid using complicated technical terms. For example, you could simply use 'menu' instead of 'navigation element'. This makes it easier and quicker for people with cognitive impairments to understand what you are talking about.
Technical measures
- Alt texts for images: Add meaningful alternative texts for images so that screen readers can interpret them.
- Keyboard navigation and voice control: Make sure that the entire website can be operated without a mouse, using only the keyboard.
- Accessible forms: Ensure that forms provide clear labeling and assistance to avoid misunderstandings.
- Compatibility with screen readers: Check the compatibility of your website with common screen reader programs and other assistive technologies.
- Use of ARIA attributes: ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) are special HTML attributes used to improve the accessibility of websites for people with disabilities. They help users of screen readers by providing additional information on interaction elements.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide further information on the implementation of digital accessibility.
These guidelines help companies to implement digital accessibility by providing clear recommendations on various aspects such as the structure of websites, navigation and the provision of alternative content.
Accessibility of digital documents and media
Documents and media must also be designed to be accessible to all users. Important measures include
- PDF files: PDF documents should be created in such a way that they can be read by screen readers. This includes the use of tags, the addition of alt text for images and the correct structuring of the element
- Videos: For videos, subtitles and audio descriptions should be provided so that people with hearing or visual impairments can understand the content.
- Other media: Care must also be taken with other media, such as graphics or interactive content, to ensure that they are accessible to all users.
How can new technologies facilitate digital accessibility?
The future of digital accessibility is largely driven by technological developments. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are opening up new opportunities to make digital content more accessible and remove barriers. Automated systems can, for example, create image descriptions and subtitles for videos in real time, making visual and audio media immediately usable for people with disabilities.
Voice controls and virtual assistants are also becoming important tools for further improving accessibility. People with motor impairments are increasingly able to control digital applications using voice commands alone. The further development of augmented reality (AR) could also open up new avenues: For example, additional information can be displayed in real environments to provide guidance or simplify complex information in visual formats.
With these innovations, the goal of a fully inclusive digital world is within reach. Companies and public institutions that get to grips with these technologies at an early stage and implement them not only make an important contribution to accessibility, but also strengthen their own competitiveness and innovative power.
Challenges and hurdles
There are numerous challenges when it comes to implementing digital accessibility. There is often a lack of knowledge or resources to create accessible content. The technical implementation of complex websites and applications can be particularly challenging, for example with interactive maps or multimedia content. This is compounded by outdated technology or content that cannot be easily adapted.
Another hurdle is the lack of awareness of the importance of accessibility. It is therefore important to sensitize everyone involved - from management to developers - to the topic and to train them in accessible design.
Conclusion: On the way to an inclusive digital society
Digital accessibility is an important step towards an inclusive society in which all people have equal opportunities to access digital information and services. Companies and public institutions are required to design their digital offerings in such a way that they are accessible to all.
Although there are challenges, the implementation of accessibility offers numerous benefits - not only for people with disabilities, but for all users.
An inclusive digital society is a common goal that can only be achieved through commitment and collaboration.