New ADA rule triggers online document purge
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A federal rule intended to improve access to local governments' digital content for people with disabilities is leading to the removal of some online content, multiple Des Moines-area governments tell Axios.
Why it matters: Deleting content reduces access for everyone and runs counter to the rule's intent, advocates for people with disabilities and government transparency tell Axios.
Catch up quick: The U.S. Department of Justice in 2024 finalized an update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), spelling out digital accessibility requirements for government websites and apps.
- They include features such as video captions for people with hearing impairments and screen readers for those with low vision.
- Failure to comply could result in DOJ investigations, lawsuits and settlement agreements.
Reality check: There are exceptions for archived web content and preexisting social media posts, but those are limited situations.
Behind the scenes: Ankeny is removing some older, little-used online files to focus ADA work on the content residents use, spokesperson Amy Baker tells Axios.
- Des Moines doesn't anticipate removing much in its ongoing process, digital communications manager David Derong tells Axios.
Yes, but: Urbandale is likely to remove "a significant number" of the roughly 3,000 documents on the city's website, spokesperson Derek Zarn tells Axios.
- Johnston city staff members have been asked to remove old documents that are rarely used, city spokesperson Janet Wilwerding tells Axios.
State of play: Reviews are ongoing, and the cities contacted by Axios were unable to provide estimates of the number of online documents that have been or will be removed. However, they said the documents will still be available for review by request.
- Examples of items that could be removed include budget documents published more than a decade ago.
By the numbers: Urbandale has earmarked $40,000 for the work.
- Costs in other cities are wrapped into larger projects, such as Des Moines' recent website redesign and ongoing accessibility services contracts, Derong says.
- Ankeny purchased a one-year, $2,300 trial of AudioEye, a system that scans and fixes digital accessibility problems.
What they're saying: Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, tells Axios that the removals contradict the rule's intent in expanding access to public information.
The intrigue: The cities' predicaments illustrate the problem of federal regulations issued without the funding to implement them, Daniel Van Sant, director of disability policy at The Harkin Institute, tells Axios.
Yes, but: Much of the rule applies to future documents, and removing older ones may be unnecessary, Van Sant says.
- The law's exemptions should be reviewed and legal counsel should be consulted before documents are taken down, he says.
What's next: The deadline for governments like Des Moines that serve 50,000 or more people to meet the requirements is April 24, while smaller governments have another year to comply.