You might think this feels like vindication, but it does not.

Sure, it’s nice to be validated by the FTC after 5 years of shouting to anyone who will listen that accessiBe is a net harm for the disability community. But the settlement is a pittance.

Reports put accessiBe’s 2024 revenue at $51.3 million. The settlement has a fine of $1 million. Subtracted from its 2024 revenue, that leaves accessiBe with $50.3 million dollars for the year. Dollars earned by lying to customers, misrepresenting itself to the community, and arguably harming disabled users.

AI is not impacted by inaccessibility. It is not a disabled person. It cannot explain web accessibility from the perspective of a disabled person.

Removing the human factor of inaccessibility stories does not build empathy. It dehumanizes the stories. It dehumanizes US.

Additionally, inaccessibility is not a result of a lack of empathy. It’s a result of ableism. To still position lack of empathy as the main problem in almost 2025, is a failure to consider vital historical context.

Creating AI caricatures of disabled people does not help us dismantle systemic ableism.

I also take issue with the alleged need for comments to be “appealing” or “humorous.” Nothing appealing nor humorous about inaccessibility. Inaccessibility is PAINFUL in every single sense of the word. When disabled people encounter inaccessibility, we are harmed every. single. time.