Latest news with #WCAG
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Digital Silk Announces U.S. Companies Prioritize Custom Web Development to Meet Accessibility and SEO Demands
Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - May 28, 2025) - Digital Silk, an award-winning web development company focused on creating brand strategies, custom websites and digital marketing campaigns, is announcing a surge in client demand for custom web development projects that prioritize both accessibility compliance and search engine performance. The intersection of accessibility compliance and SEO in custom web development for U.S. businesses. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: With the tightening of ADA and WCAG regulations in the U.S., alongside Google's continued emphasis on Core Web Vitals, 2025 has seen businesses across sectors turning to custom solutions to ensure their websites meet these rising standards. According to a report from WebAIM, over 96% of homepages tested in 2024 had detectable WCAG 2 failures - a gap that brands are increasingly eager to close to reduce legal risks and improve user inclusivity. At the same time, Google's Core Web Vitals updates are driving heightened scrutiny of web performance, particularly around loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. A 2024 survey by Search Engine Journal reported that 68% of U.S. marketers cite Core Web Vitals as a top SEO priority. The overlap between accessibility improvements (such as clear navigation and keyboard-friendly design) and SEO practices (like optimized structure and mobile responsiveness) have positioned custom web development as a critical solution for modern digital teams. Integrating Accessibility, SEO, and Performance Digital Silk has responded by offering integrated services that address: ADA/WCAG compliance audits and remediation Core Web Vitals optimization across design and development SEO-focused site architecture and content enhancements Custom CMS solutions enabling ongoing compliance and performance tracking These combined efforts are helping companies with processing digital assets against regulatory and search engine shifts. "Accessibility and SEO are no longer separate conversations," says Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO of Digital Silk. "In 2025, businesses recognize that a compliant, high-performing website can potentially boost organic visibility, improve user engagement and reduce bounce rates." Market Growth Highlights Core Web Vitals have become a defining metric for over 85% of SEO agencies and in-house teams according to industry research (source). Websites failing accessibility standards face rising litigation, with 4,605 ADA lawsuits filed in federal court in 2023 alone (source). Why Custom Development is Leading the Way Companies are increasingly turning to agencies like Digital Silk to deliver the combined demands of accessibility, Core Web Vitals, and SEO as well as fully customized builds that align with technical, legal, and marketing goals. About Digital Silk Digital Silk is an award-winning Miami web development company focused on growing brands online. With a team of seasoned experts, Digital Silk delivers industry-leading digital experiences through strategic branding and cutting-edge web design with the aim to drive more conversions and digital marketing services to boost awareness and engagement. Media ContactJessica ErasmusMarketing Director & PR ManagerTel: (800) 206-9413Email: jessica@ To view the source version of this press release, please visit Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Standard
16-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
On Global Accessibility Awareness Day 2025, India Takes a Step Towards Ensuring Digital Accessibility
NewsVoir New Delhi [India], May 16: A draft curriculum to teach digital accessibility in undergraduate computer science and design courses was unveiled at the Inclusive India Summit, held at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2025. The initiative aims to ensure accessibility becomes a core part of how future technologists and designers are trained in India. The summit brought together academic leaders, accessibility professionals, and disability rights advocates from across the country. The Inclusive India Summit was hosted on the occasion of Global Accessibility Awareness Day by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), SBI Foundation (the CSR arm of the State Bank of India), and the National Association for the Blind. It was organised in collaboration with the Association of People with Disability (APD) and Mission Accessibility (Dhananjay Sanjogta Foundation), and held at the India International Centre, New Delhi, on May 15. The event was conducted in hybrid mode, with both online and in-person participation. The proposed curriculum is a response to a longstanding gap: while digital services have expanded rapidly in India, most platforms remain difficult to navigate for persons with disabilities. A 2023 audit by the Centre for Internet and Society found that 98% of leading Indian websites do not meet global accessibility standards. Globally, the picture is no better; WebAIM's 2023 analysis of the top 1 million homepages found accessibility errors on 96.3% of them. Experts at the summit agreed that the problem lies upstream, in how technologists and designers are trained. C.P. Gurnani, former CEO, Tech Mahindra, and a speaker at the summit, said, "India's digital economy can't afford to treat accessibility as an afterthought. Embedding it into how we educate our technologists is not just timely--it's essential. This curriculum is a step toward building digital solutions that are truly inclusive, by design." The curriculum, developed over several months by a national working group--including contributors from the International Institute of Information Technology, Bengaluru; Design Beku; Mission Accessibility; Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), India; the Xavier's Resource Center for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC); Artilabs; and BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru--is designed to be modular, adaptable, and grounded in Indian contexts. It introduces students to accessibility principles, web standards like WCAG, assistive technologies, universal design, and disability rights law. Amar Jain, lawyer and Co-founder of Mission Accessibility, who also led the Supreme Court petition, said, "We have policy and precedent. What's missing is implementation capacity. This curriculum ensures that we're not just fixing what's broken--we're teaching how to build it right from the start." The national consultation on Digital Accessibility Inclusion was chaired by Rajesh Aggarwal, Secretary, DEPwD, and had participation from the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA), Ministry of Education, IIT Delhi, IIIT Delhi & IIT Bombay. It focused on how the curriculum was designed to equip students with both conceptual and practical skills to build accessible digital products. It covered disability rights, accessibility laws, and technical standards like WCAG 2.2, along with hands-on training using screen readers, audit tools like Axe and WAVE, and real-world user testing. The discussion saw a strong emphasis on designing in collaboration with persons with disabilities, particularly in the Indian context. Participants also discussed the need to address accessibility in emerging technologies like AI/ML, AR/VR, and Internet of Things (IoT). They highlighted how the curriculum connects academic learning to career opportunities through certifications like the Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC). Inclusive hiring practices were also highlighted as essential, ensuring equal access to jobs by removing barriers in recruitment and workplace systems. Prof. Amit Prakash of IIIT-Bangalore added, "Our goal is to shift the culture of how digital technology design is taught and understood. Accessibility must become foundational, something that students see intrinsic value in, and internalise as an important design principle and not a post-implementation patchwork." The draft curriculum is now open for public consultation and will soon be submitted to India's key academic regulators. The emphasis on accessibility by design closely aligns with the Yes to Access project by APD, which advocates for systemic change in how accessibility is integrated into public infrastructure and digital services. A key innovation under this initiative is the Yes to Access app--India's first AI-powered tool for conducting accessibility audits--which was featured during the summit's panel discussion on 'Inclusive Mainstream Technologies'. While the app enables real-time assessments of the built environment, the curriculum complements it by equipping the next generation of technologists and designers to embed accessibility into digital products from the ground up. Together, these efforts reflect a growing consensus that practical tools and foundational education must work hand in hand to make accessibility the norm, not an afterthought. The Association of People with Disability (APD) is a 65-year-old non-profit organisation that empowers individuals with disabilities to lead independent, dignified, and productive lives. Through its comprehensive Life Cycle Approach, APD supports persons with disabilities at every stage--from early intervention and inclusive education to healthcare access, livelihood support, and advocacy for accessible infrastructure and systems. For more information, please visit
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Bridge Bank Provides New $20 Million Credit Facility to AudioEye, Inc.
PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bridge Bank, a division of Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, today announced that its Innovation Banking Group has provided a new $20 million credit facility to industry-leading digital accessibility company AudioEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEYE). The largest portion of the credit facility is a new $12 million term loan that replaces AudioEye's existing term loan. The new deal also includes a $3 million revolver and a $5 million delayed draw term loan for potential 'tuck-in' acquisitions. AudioEye combines AI-powered automation, custom fixes and developer tools to enable customers to detect and fix more accessibility issues than any other provider. Its automated accessibility platform, expert human services and flexible developer tools are aligned around one goal: Making the internet accessible for the 1 in 6 people globally living with a disability, according to the World Health Organization. 'AudioEye has a unique approach to making the digital world more accessible for everyone through sophisticated AI technology combined with input from the disability community,' said Francesco Corradino, director of Bridge Bank's Innovation Banking Group. 'We're always excited to provide additional flexibility to pursue strategic opportunities through financing solutions for innovative companies like AudioEye.' 'Over the last few quarters, our operating leverage has become clear with material improvements in our credit profile,' said Kelly Georgevich, Chief Financial Officer of AudioEye. 'The new credit facility features a reduced interest rate and added flexibility for strategic opportunities. We look forward to partnering with Bridge Bank and Western Alliance Bank through our next growth phase.' Read more details about the credit facility in AudioEye's news release. Bridge Bank's Innovation Banking Group supports technology companies at all stages of their life cycles with customized banking services and credit solutions to help them navigate rapidly changing environments. About AudioEye AudioEye exists to ensure the digital future we build is accessible. The gold standard for digital accessibility, AudioEye's comprehensive solution combines industry-leading AI automation technology with expert fixes informed by the disability community. This powerful combination delivers industry-leading protection, ensuring businesses of all sizes — including over 127,000 customers like Samsung, Calvin Klein and Samsonite — meet and exceed compliance standards. With 24 U.S. patents, AudioEye's solution includes 24/7 accessibility monitoring, automated WCAG issue testing and fixes, expert testing, developer tools and legal protection, empowering organizations to confidently create accessible digital experiences for all. About Bridge Bank Bridge Bank, a division of Western Alliance Bank, Member FDIC, delivers relationship banking that puts clients at the center of everything. Founded in 2001 in Silicon Valley, Bridge Bank offers a full spectrum of tailored commercial banking solutions with specialized expertise focused on life sciences and technology and innovation companies at every stage in their life cycle, from startup to IPO and beyond. With offices in major tech hubs across the country, Bridge Bank delivers the reach, resources and market expertise that make a difference for its clients. Bridge Bank also serves the private equity and venture capital communities by providing banking solutions for portfolio companies and funds, plus banking solutions for small to mid-size businesses in the Bay Area. Bridge Bank is part of Western Alliance Bancorporation, which has more than $80 billion in assets. Major accolades include being ranked as a top U.S. bank in 2024 by American Banker and Bank Director. For more information, visit Bridge Bank.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tax season is hard enough. Inaccessible websites make it worse.
Many government and financial websites are still difficult to use for people with disabilities, especially during tax season. From confusing navigation to inaccessible forms and documents, these barriers make it hard to file taxes or manage finances independently. Tax season is often a source of stress and confusion—from navigating complicated forms to tracking down essential documents. For many Americans, the process has gone digital in recent years, with everything from tax filing to payment portals now hosted online. But for the millions of people with disabilities who rely on accessible technology to navigate the internet, tax season presents an added challenge: government and financial websites remain deeply inaccessible, making it difficult—and in some cases, impossible—to meet their financial obligations independently, AudioEye says. According to AudioEye's 2025 Digital Accessibility Index, the average government webpage contains 307 accessibility violations—one of the highest rates of any industry analyzed in the report. From unlabeled form fields to vague navigation links, these barriers can prevent users from applying for benefits, filing taxes, or accessing critical public services. Government websites frequently rely on images to convey information, including application instructions and service directories. Yet 15.3 images per page lacked alternative text (alt text), which allows people who are blind or have low vision to understand the content and purpose of images through screen readers. And with 77% of pages containing unclear links, navigating a site to find the correct tax form or deadline becomes a frustrating, if not impossible, task. "I use an online tax service, and navigating the platform is often slow and irksome," said Dave Carlson, a member of AudioEye's A11iance Community. "Not all modules work the same way, and it takes a lot of trial and error just to reach input fields and Continue buttons. After years of using it, I've figured out how to get through it—but it shouldn't be that hard." In addition to government portals, financial services websites—which host tools for direct deposits, tax refunds, and loan information—are also falling behind on accessibility. In fact, they were among the worst-performing sectors in the 2025 Index. AudioEye analyzed more than 57,000 pages across 1,500+ financial services sites and found that: 80% of pages included unclear or vague links, making it hard to locate key services like payment portals or transaction histories. The average page contained 74 violations of minimum color contrast requirements as outlined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), making forms and financial documents difficult to read for users with low vision. On average, there were 6.8 inaccessible forms per page—preventing users from opening accounts, transferring funds, or setting up automatic payments. "One of the biggest issues for me during tax season is getting my bank and credit card data in a usable format," Carlson continued. "Most institutions only offer PDFs, which are nearly impossible to navigate when dealing with large tables. I need spreadsheets, but getting them often means calling the institution and explaining the issue—year after year. Nothing changes, so I've just had to get smarter about workarounds." Website accessibility issues don't just create barriers for users—they also expose organizations to greater legal risk. With the Department of Justice gearing up to enforce updates to Title II of the ADA and stronger Section 508 compliance rules, both public agencies and private institutions will soon face more scrutiny regarding the accessibility of their websites. For organizations—both public and private—the takeaway is clear: Digital accessibility must be a priority. Here are a few ways to start: Audit and test regularly: Use a combination of automated scanning tools and expert testing by people with disabilities to identify and fix issues that lead to lawsuits. Prioritize accessibility in high-traffic areas: Focus on critical pages such as login portals, form submissions, and payment tools where users are most likely to encounter issues. Engage with the disability community: Invite users with disabilities to share feedback and participate in the design and QA process. Their lived experience offers insight that internal testing often misses. Fix the basics: Ensure every image has alt text, every form field has a clear label, and every link accurately describes where it goes. When essential services like tax filing, refund tracking, and benefit applications are out of reach, it creates unnecessary barriers to independence, privacy, and financial stability. Accessibility isn't just a feature to check off—it's a civil right. Achieving it requires more than automated scans or surface-level fixes. It demands a comprehensive, thoughtful approach that includes testing with real users, fixing issues at the source, and building digital experiences that work for everyone. This story was produced by AudioEye and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
Associated Press
09-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
AudioEye Sets First Quarter 2025 Earnings Call
TUCSON, Ariz., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AudioEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEYE) ('AudioEye' or the 'Company'), the industry-leading digital accessibility company, will hold a conference call on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. Financial results will be issued in a press release prior to the call. AudioEye management will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period. Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time) U.S. dial-in number: 877-407-8289 International number: 201-689-8341 Webcast: Q125 Webcast Link Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group at 949-574-3860. The conference call will also be webcast live and available for replay via the investor relations section of the Company's website. The audio recording will remain available via the investor relations section of the Company's website for 90 days. A telephonic replay of the conference call will also be available after 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the same day through May 13, 2025 via the following numbers: Toll-free replay number: 877-660-6853 International replay number: 201-612-7415 Replay passcode: 13753127 About AudioEye AudioEye exists to ensure the digital future we build is accessible. The gold standard for digital accessibility, AudioEye's comprehensive solution combines industry-leading AI automation technology with expert fixes informed by the disability community. This powerful combination delivers industry-leading protection, ensuring businesses of all sizes - including over 127,000 customers like Samsung, Calvin Klein, and Samsonite - meet and exceed compliance standards. With 24 US patents, AudioEye's solution includes 24/7 accessibility monitoring, automated WCAG issue testing and fixes, expert testing, developer tools, and legal protection, empowering organizations to confidently create accessible digital experiences for all. Investor Contact: Gateway Group, Inc.
