Department of Justice Ruling Requires Accessible Web and Mobile Content: What It Means for GIS Applications

On April 24, 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) finalized a significant update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This ruling, published in the Federal Register, sets clear, enforceable requirements for making web content and mobile applications accessible to people with disabilities.

What’s New?

Public entities—such as state and local governments—must now ensure their digital services meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. This includes websites, mobile apps, and interactive tools like GIS applications (maps, apps, and dashboards), used for displaying data and information to your users.

What This Means for GIS Professionals

As GIS professionals, we must recognize that many public-facing GIS applications and data portals are rich with interactive content but fall short when it comes to accessibility standards.

Common barriers include map controls, layer and pop-up screen reader support, color contrast, and missing labels, alternative text, and legends.

Key Compliance Deadlines:

April 24, 2026, for entities serving 50,000 or more people

April 26, 2027, for those serving fewer than 50,000 people

How Can Cloudpoint Help?

The Cloudpoint team can utilize our tools and experience to help organizations achieve GIS accessibility compliance.

Our services include:

• Comprehensive accessibility audits of your web GIS content

• Tailored remediation plans based on your current infrastructure and content update needs

• Implementation support using the latest Esri tools, guided by WCAG standards

• Ongoing consulting to ensure future projects stay accessible from the start

  
  

This rule is a clear signal: accessibility is no longer optional, it’s mandatory. Let us help you stay compliant and, more importantly, ensure that everyone in your community can access the critical information your GIS provides. Contact us today!