The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has finalized a consent order requiring accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd. to pay $1 million following allegations of misleading claims. AccessiBe asserted that its plug-in, accessWidget, could make any website comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), claims the FTC found to be inaccurate and not substantiated.
In January 2025, the FTC's proposed complaint accused accessiBe of falsely marketing accessWidget as a solution for websites to achieve WCAG compliance. Moreover, the complaint highlighted that accessiBe had formatted third-party articles and reviews to seem like independent opinions without disclosing its connections to the reviewers.
The final order from the FTC prohibits accessiBe from claiming that its automated products can universally ensure WCAG compliance unless they possess evidence to support such claims. Additionally, accessiBe is barred from misrepresenting material facts about its products and services. The order also prevents the company from misrepresenting that:
- Reviews, articles, or blog posts about its products are independent opinions.
- An endorser of the automated product is an independent or typical user.
- An endorser is an independent organization offering objective information.
After a public comment period, the FTC Commission unanimously voted 3-0 to approve the final consent order and began sending letters to the public who commented during this period.
The FTC's role focuses on promoting competition and protecting consumers. They remind the public that they do not demand money, make threats, or promise prizes. For more information about consumer protection topics or to report fraud, the public can visit consumer.ftc.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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