The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) goals to require software program supplier accessiBe to pay $1 million to settle the company’s allegations that the corporate made misleading claims about its product and did not disclose its materials connections to on-line reviewers.
The company’s proposed order would additionally prohibit accessiBe from participating within the alleged unlawful conduct, the FTC stated in a Friday (Jan. 3) press launch.
AccessiBe didn’t instantly reply to PYMNTS’ request for remark.
The corporate sells a synthetic intelligence (AI)-powered internet accessibility software program plug-in referred to as accessWidget and says it might probably make any web site compliant with Net Content material Accessibility Tips (WCAG), in line with the FTC’s press launch.
The FTC’s criticism alleges that the corporate’s claims are misleading as a result of the software didn’t make all consumer web sites WCAG compliant, the discharge stated.
The criticism additionally alleges that accessiBe deceptively made third-party articles and evaluations look like impartial opinions by neutral authors, failing to reveal that the corporate had materials connections to these reviewers, per the discharge.
“Corporations searching for assist making their web sites WCAG compliant should be capable of belief that merchandise do what they’re marketed to do,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Shopper Safety, stated within the launch. “Overstating a product’s AI or different capabilities with out satisfactory proof is misleading, and the FTC will act to cease it.”
The proposed settlement will likely be topic to public remark for 30 days after its publication within the Federal Register earlier than the FTC decides whether or not to make it ultimate, in line with the discharge.
The WCAG are sometimes cited in Individuals with Disabilities Act (ADA) rulings, so compliance with these digital accessibility requirements can have particular authorized implications, in line with the February 2022 version of PYMNTS Intelligence’s “Digital First Banking Tracker®.”
The FTC’s announcement of its proposed order towards accessiBe got here on the identical day that the company stated it permitted a ultimate order towards Sitejabber, an organization that the company accused of deceptive individuals in regards to the client evaluations proven for corporations and their merchandise.
In that case, the FTC prohibited Sitejabber from making or facilitating misrepresentations about rankings and evaluations.