I'm inclined to side with legally enforceable web accessibility - putting a regulatory burden on big business won't impact on their profits, and if they have any sense they will put the work to 'good corporate citizen image' use. They'll pass the costs on to the consumer in any case. It's probably a more efficient strategy for the society overall than taxing citizens harder and attempting to cater for the disabled through government channels. The 'hands off private business' approach is naïve and doesn't take account of the social good. A society whose values consist of self-interest at all levels will rapidly descend into dysfunction on many other fronts, and those very companies will be much worse off. There's a spinoff benefit to ensuring web accessibility in any case surely -if compulsory, it would inevitably contribute to a culture where a company's website needs are well-resourced and noticed by management.
________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jim Davies Sent: Thursday, 4 October 2007 1:33 PM To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: Re: A: [WSG] Target Lawsuit - Please Make Yourself Heard I'm with Chris on this one. Speaking only of businesses int he United States, no government entity should be telling a private business what it must do and that includes telling a business it must provide health coverage, or spend a certain percentage on it and what the covereage must include. If that business accepts government monies, then the ball game changes. Of course the private businesses should do some things, accessible websites may be one of them but it is not the governments job to force it. It has NOTHING to do with cost or anything else. Those arguements do not even enter the picture. Bottom line is the government has no business sticking its nose in a private business as long as health and safety issues are not the issue. It doesn't even need to know how much money a business makes except we are forced to report it for our out of control IRS requirements. Oh how we need SR/HR 25 Too much said already. Not sure this is a Web Standards topic any longer Jim Davies ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ******************************************************************* The information transmitted is for the use of the intended recipient only and may contain confidential and/or legally privileged material. Any review, re-transmission, disclosure, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited and may result in severe penalties. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify the Security Advisor of the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, 38 Sydney Ave, Forrest ACT 2603, telephone (02) 6271-1880 and delete all copies of this transmission together with any attachments. ******************************************************************* List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *******************************************************************
