ADA
The Americans with Disabilities Act — US federal civil rights law prohibiting disability discrimination, increasingly applied to digital experiences including virtual events.
Title III of the ADA prohibits disability-based discrimination in 'places of public accommodation.' Through two decades of litigation and DOJ guidance, the law's reach has extended to websites, apps, and virtual events operated by covered entities.
For event organizers, ADA compliance typically requires meeting the 'effective communication' standard — providing live captions, accessible registration flows, and accommodations on request for events offered to the public.
The DOJ's April 2024 final rule formally adopted WCAG 2.1 AA as the standard for state and local government web content, with phased compliance deadlines. Private-sector enforcement continues primarily through litigation rather than rulemaking.