[NFBCS] Opinion On AccessiBe's apology

Sun May 14 19:45:11 UTC 2023

It takes humility to acknowledge what you did wrong and commit to 
change. It also shows the possibility for change when you spell out your 
past actions and approach and recognize how that negative impacted 
others. It could be a genuine apology or it could be a ploy to stop 
people from continuously speaking out against them. Did they realize 
that ignoring and insulting the disability community was a losing battle 
and finally decide to change tactics?

Did accessibe post this letter on the front page of their website with a 
prominent social media announcement?  Did they issue a press release? 
Did they notify their existing and future customers how problematic and 
misleading their one-line-of-code-total-fix claims were? Their website 
still makes the same claims that customers can get full legal compliance 
with a 2 min effort. There is still nothing to educate their customers 
how to really have an accessible usable website. Where is the open 
platform for people with disabilities to communicate and educate their 
customers directly? Shouldn't there be a coordinated effort to broadcast 
and implement this commitment to change?

As to the "hire and recruit other blind and low vision screen reader 
users which is a chance to help people build their resume, hold 
employment, and earn a bit of money while doing so. "  How much is the 
"bit of money"?  Is it minimum wage, or less, to test products or go to 
disability discussions to promote the company and read what people post 
about them?  The phrasing insinuates that a screen reader user does not 
already have a solid resume, cannot get employed, and should be grateful 
for any amount of pay. Do they only want people who fit that 
description?  Are people just handing over their resumes without even 
knowing the role? Any possibility they are hiring the Blind and LV for 
senior positions and leadership roles at above market rate?

Agree with Nicole. Don't just tell us. Show us.

On 5/14/2023 8:00 AM, nfbcs-request at nfbnet.org wrote:
> Date: Sat, 13 May 2023 17:23:55 -0700
> From: "Nicole Torcolini"<torcolini at comcast.net>
> To: "'NFB in Computer Science Mailing List'"<nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Opinion On AccessiBe's apology
>
>
> 	Until they change their approach completely, I don't buy any of this.
> 	There is very little that can be done across *all* websites to actually improve each website without applying some kind of learning model to the specific website because, although similar problems occur on many websites, the specifics of each instance are very different. I know this because I have made my own extension for Firefox to clean up websites like Amazon, and the only way that I have found to make it work correctly is to customize each solution to almost every problem with only some overlap; I can share more specifics if desired.
> 	I realize that this was done with the intention of helping, but not all ideas work--if I had a dollar for every time that someone did something that they thought would help with accessibility that actually made it worse, I would not a job.
> 	It's a good start, but it is not enough. You have to walk it like you talk it.
>
> Nicole
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBCS<nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org>  On Behalf Of Ty Littlefield via NFBCS
> Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2023 3:47 PM
> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List<nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Ty Littlefield<tyler at tysdomain.com>
> Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Opinion On AccessiBe's apology
>
> Hi,
>
> I've worked closely with Shir off and on for the past two years. The one thing I have to give him, is he was always willing and open to sitting down and having a conversation with me. So many companies refuse to do that, or even to listen. He has been willing to take input, feedback and advice and work with it. We haven't always agreed, but we've been able to have good creative discussions.
>
>
> I can also tell you that I went into our initial meeting pretty upset and frustrated with AccessiBe, which colored my view and thoughts of them, and how I approached the meeting. The one ultimate lesson I've learned through my dealings with the company, and Shir himself is that I have to keep an open mind, and approach each new issue and chance to advocate as if it's a new start. This means that it's unfair to assume that companies simply don't care. At best, I was very unkind, and when I reflect on my treatment of Shir himself, I hate to think that I was that person.
>
>
> Before I give my final thoughts, I want to disclaimer that I am currently working with the company. I've spent a lot of time thinking and worrying about the ethics of the decision, and whether or not I am causing more harm to the community. I eventually came to the decision, mostly in part through my discussions with Shir that I can impact the company and do some good. I have also been given the chance to hire and recruit other blind and low vision screen reader users, which is a chance to help people build their resume, hold employment, and earn a bit of money while doing so. However you may feel about overlays, they're not going away, and there's not really anything we as a community can do about it. So my goal is from this point to help drive the product forward with constructive and realistic feedback, because there are a lot of nuances and pitfalls in the accessibility industry.
> My goal is to help make the product the best that it can be, so that websites that employ the overlay will be more usable by people who use assistive technology.
>
>
> I understand there is a lot of fear, anger and other bad feelings around this company. I also have to say that I don't remember seeing a single company reflect and then change so much. I encourage people to take this letter for what it is: a request to realize that the company is changing. This doesn't mean we forget, and forgiveness is something that will be slowly earned through better practices; AccessiBe will need to continue demonstrating that they are open to feedback, and bettering themselves.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ty
>
>
> On 5/13/2023 5:20 PM, Aaron via NFBCS wrote:
>> "Hello everyone,
>> I wanted to get your thoughts on the recent apology issued by the
>> founder of AccessiBe, which was published in the May issue of the NFb
>> Braille Monitor. I also posted the same question on the R/Blind
>> subreddit for blind and visually impaired people, and most people
>> there didn't believe the sincerity of the apology. You can find the
>> link to the Reddit post at the bottom of the apology.
>> It will be interesting to see if AccessiBe issues a similar apology in
>> the American Council of the Blind (ACB) Braille Forum, which is the
>> ACB's version of the NFB's Braille Monitor."
>> Braille Monitor               May 2023 A Heart-felt Apology and a
>> Chance to Start Again by Shir Ekerling
>> ?****From the Editor: There isn't much I need to say because this
>> letter says it all. I admire people who can say they are sorry and
>> want to start again. I hope and believe this is a real step forward.
>> Dear Members of the Federation,
>> My name is Shir, and I am the founder of accessiBe. I am writing to
>> address our past actions and to offer our deepest apologies for the
>> way we previously communicated and reacted. I also want to outline
>> what we are doing and have done to change and improve in response to
>> feedback from Federation members and individuals in the broader
>> disability space.
>> Before I go further, I want to share with you that I have a deep
>> personal understanding of what it feels like to be dependent on
>> assistive technology. I am a person who relies daily on multiple
>> assistive medical technologies due to my Type 1/juvenile diabetes. My
>> medical journey has been challenging at times, and thus I am driven by
>> a singular conviction when it comes to my work and accessiBe. I can
>> personally relate to struggling with assistive technology, and this is
>> one of the reasons it is essential for me to be the best ally that I
>> can be to you.
>> When I founded accessiBe, other than in the very technical aspects, I
>> was a newcomer to the accessibility and disability communities. As
>> software engineers, we incorrectly believed that the technicalities
>> were all that we needed to know. When some community members voiced
>> their concerns, my colleagues and I became defensive and resistant,
>> and we mistakenly treated it with dismissal or, at times, even anger.
>> As the founder of accessiBe, I want to take full responsibility for
>> these reactions, and I wish to outline how, in the past two years,
>> feedback from Federation members and many individuals and disability
>> rights activists has guided me and accessiBe through a meaningful
>> transformative process.
>> After several years of learning, and as I reflect on our choices
>> during that time, I recognize that the way we reacted to concerns did
>> not demonstrate my commitment to my conviction. Even though we failed
>> to respond appropriately, we did hear you. We have been learning a lot
>> from your feedback and have been changing our approach and how we do
>> things because of it. For our improper reactions and responses, we
>> want to express our deepest apologies to everyone who has been
>> affected, and we are committed to responding with openness, gratitude,
>> and accountability going forward. I also want to apologize for
>> emphasizing our marketing on avoiding legal action, when it should
>> have been on making one's website usable to users who would otherwise
>> be left out. We have many things to do until we get there, but I hope
>> that soon, you will trust us enough to call us your ally and bestow
>> that honor and responsibility on us. I am committed to that goal and
>> to receiving all available guidance and learning to support that work.
>> At the core of what we do is our belief that creating an inclusive
>> environment for all individuals requires work from each of us
>> individually and from us as a collective. As a company handling
>> digital accessibility, it is our responsibility to work alongside you,
>> to demonstrate why it is so crucial for businesses to provide online
>> access at all times, especially in a rapidly changing digital space.
>> This is why we strive to provide solutions that make it easier for
>> businesses, from the smallest family business to the biggest
>> enterprise, to provide equal access and opportunities to all their
>> users and customers, with or without a disability. We want to provide
>> businesses with tools that help them recognize that accessibility and
>> usability are possible for them, and that even if they lack resources,
>> providing accessibility will be a positive decision that drives their
>> business forward. I'm not writing this to advertise accessiBe, but to
>> provide background on what we are trying to do.
>> I'm writing this letter to ask you, Federation members, for a second
>> chance to build a relationship with you. I am aware of your concerns
>> about overlays, privacy and security, advertising, and more. Some of
>> these concerns are addressed here; others are too complex for a short
>> letter, and I wish to remain focused on the communication and people
>> aspect, and on our commitment. I am, however, going to address these
>> and any other concerns you bring to my attention as we move forward in
>> our communication, conversation, and the work we put out to the world.
>> Over the past two years, we focused on seeking guidance and training
>> from disabled leaders, activists, individuals, and disability-led
>> organizations willing to teach us where we fell short and what we
>> needed to do to revise our approach. This work is ongoing.
>> We took the time for a deep review and are making significant changes
>> that include complete employee training, disability history, civil
>> rights activism, disability justice workshops, and guidance on
>> accessibility and disability communication. We are committed to
>> building an inclusive culture from the core and to being directed by
>> the disability community in the work that we do. We want disability to
>> be present in all aspects of accessiBe.
>> Making significant changes takes time, and we understand that building
>> trust is a lengthy process. We strive to continue learning and making
>> further improvements that demonstrate our commitment as we move
>> forward. The experience of every individual is unique. We cannot
>> capture every perspective or understand every situation. Therefore, we
>> will continue to learn and improve.
>> Accessibility is not only about technology but mostly about people,
>> culture, and education. We are committed to inclusion both internally
>> and externally.
>> We are also committed to being transparent about our journey, and I
>> want to begin by sharing our "Purpose statement"
>> (https://accessibe.com/purpose-statement). This twenty-page document
>> details the journey we have been on, delving deep into the changes we
>> have made, and our focus for the future. We encourage you to read it
>> to learn more about our efforts. Here are some highlights:
>> Our marketing department has undergone a significant overhaul that
>> encompasses communication, activities, and team structure. We have
>> replaced our chief marketing officer and discarded previous campaigns.
>> We have shifted our focus toward education, and our goal is to provide
>> a platform for the disability community to reach our customer network
>> and directly educate the business community without us speaking for or
>> representing the community in any way, yet providing it an opportunity
>> to educate millions of people and businesses directly. We are
>> committed to supporting, elevating, and amplifying your voice and
>> advocacy efforts. We strongly believe that educating people and
>> businesses about disabilities, accessibility, and inclusion is crucial
>> to creating an inclusive society.
>> By offering individuals and businesses education, in cooperation with
>> the disability community, we can collectively take steps toward
>> bringing the digital world closer to where we all want it to be.
>> We recognize that web accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all
>> process. Therefore, today, our approach is to provide a variety of
>> accessibility tools and solutions to help businesses address
>> accessibility comprehensively. We are creating an ecosystem of tools,
>> services, products, and educational platforms for businesses of all
>> sizes to develop and implement inclusive business practices and
>> successfully incorporate web accessibility in their projects. We also
>> provide comprehensive accessibility services, including human audits,
>> accessibility consulting, technical accessibility training, user
>> testing, and ongoing support to ensure that accessibility is
>> maintained over time.
>> We are incorporating talented professionals from the disability
>> community and their expertise into every aspect of our company.
>> Everything we do is made with, and often by, a person with a
>> disability in the process. This is true from research and development
>> to the way we deliver services, build products and solutions, and come
>> up with campaigns and communications for businesses and customers.
>> Every layer of accessiBe relies on leadership and talent from people
>> with disabilities, including input, education, guidance, and review.
>> As the founder of accessiBe, I have a responsibility to lead by
>> example. I am committed to listening to your feedback and concerns and
>> to taking actions that reflect that. I am also committed to being
>> accountable for our reactions and to being a part of the solution. For
>> that reason, I want to offer a direct line of communication with me
>> for your concerns or questions. Please do not hesitate to email me
>> directly atekshir at accessibe.com.
>> We have a long way to go, but we are committed to making the necessary
>> changes and doing better. We believe that accessibility and inclusion
>> are critical foundational components of society and should therefore
>> be essential and achievable for businesses of any size. We must create
>> resources, solutions, and services that support this goal while
>> providing the best user experience to each person. We look forward to
>> working with you on creating a more accessible and inclusive future
>> for everyone.
>> Sincerely, Shir
>> Braille Monitor Source link
>> https://nfb.org//images/nfb/publications/bm/bm23/bm2305/bm230503.htm
>> Reddit Link
>> https://www.reddit.com/r/Blind/comments/13eno41/what_is_your_opinion_o
>> n_the_apology_issued_by_the/
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
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