CSR in the Information Society — Web Accessibility in Europe and Japan

Why are good things adopted so slowly? — Analysis of fresh voice from various stakeholders, and recommendations to fill a gap between what should happen and what is happening. 

Key words

Web accessibility, the Web, WCAG, Information Society, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), the elderly, people with disabilities, aging of society, Europe, Japan, voluntary standards

Abstract

Ongoing changes in society towards the Information Society have given rise to new challenges with reference to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).  This paper focuses on web accessibility as a responsibility of corporations and discusses practical ways to ensure that websites, “the Web” hereafter, be made accessible to all the readers, including the elderly and people with disabilities.

The United Nations (the UN) recognises Web access as a basic human right in the Information Society, and Governments in major economies endorse it.  On the technical side, a set of high quality voluntary standards has been established by a group of experts.  Despite this backing, implementation of web accessibility has been slow in practice.  There is a gap between what should happen and what it is happening.  Why are good ideas adopted slowly?

To gain a better insight into today’s reality, its barriers and opportunities, the author interviewed web owners and experts, who are promoting web accessibility in Europe and in Japan, which has led to a number of recommendations for action to all stakeholders.

* This paper has been prepared as a course requirement for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Corporate Social Responsibility, University of Geneva, Switzerland, 2011

The full paper is available from here.

Telecom and media shaken by the power of packets and broadband

“Vinton Cerf on the power of packets“, an online video program, “Tea with The Economist”, 5 Jan. 2011, was inspiring.

Vint said:

  • The underlying technology of the Internet, packet communications, has unchanged.
  • The ever-increasing speed of broadband network exceeded the speed for human beings to see videos.
  • We can transform a wide variety of information, from print media to videos, in a packet form.
  • Packets don’t recognise information contents. The just keep transmitting them.
  • This means that future of communication will be performed by file transfer.
Vint Cerf

This would be a terrifying statement for existing players of telecommunications, media owners and contents producers, especially for large ones.

A long-lasting business model of telecommunications carriers that they make money from the hours during which users hold lines will not valid any more. Media giants have to create innovative ideas to distribute contents over smart and personalised ICT device, such as smart phones and tablets such as iPad.

It is not a coincidence that Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is publishing an iPad-only newspaper, The Daily, and its image has been just published. What’s important in this newspaper is that it will be a paid subscription.

Will and how many readers are willing to pay for the contents over the iPad is an interesting question and worth following up. What I see here is a challenge of an established print media to ride on the changing media habit of readers. ICT is behind the change.

A paradigm change in is coming to be reality very fast.

In 2011, it will be interesting to see innovative ideas from old and emerging players in the fast-moving ICT and media industries, that involve telecom carriers, publishers, SNS innovators, a variety of contents produces and providers, and more.

This is what iPad-only newspaper will look like