I have always advocated for invisible digital accessibility—the kind that is so well implemented through semantic code that there is no need for an icon or a page informing users about the application’s accessibility features. However, I believe digital accessibility is at a special moment, when initiatives that highlight websites without access barriers need visibility.
I believe we made important progress in accessibility in 2025. Early in the year, we saw the publication of ABNT Standard 17225, on Web accessibility; the authorized translation of the most recent international accessibility guidelines (which served as the basis for the standard); the approval of these same guidelines as an international ISO standard; and a series of training sessions promoted by Ceweb.br. It was not a bad year for accessibility. We hope that this standard will soon be adopted as a benchmark for the accessibility of Brazilian websites, as the Brazilian Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) has already been demanding.
Making accessibility visible is essential because we still do not have a widespread practice—or a legal obligation—of publishing an accessibility statement on our websites. This is already common practice in several countries, including Australia, the United States, and the European Union, among others. Some Brazilian institutions have already adopted this practice voluntarily, either because of guidelines from their international headquarters or because of a commitment to eliminating barriers. Those that have not yet done so should consider implementing it, as national regulations are increasingly aligning with the international landscape, and this is likely to become a requirement soon. It is essential to have a well-structured page informing users about the website’s accessibility features and how they have been implemented.
Adding links to increase or decrease the font size or improve contrast is not an appropriate way to declare accessibility. Having a collection of tools and plugins is not either. This also means that having semantic and fully accessible code alone is not enough. We need to formally declare the guidelines that have been applied to demonstrate our commitment to inclusion and make the issue more visible. To illustrate the importance of this visibility, I will use social media as an example.
#pracegover
The main social media platforms that allow users to publish photos have fields for entering alternative text, which is used by assistive technologies to describe the image. This content is not visible to all users and is primarily available to screen reader users. In theory, it would not be necessary to describe the image in the body of the post, but many people still use the hashtags #PraCegoVer (brazilian hashtag to say “for blind people see”) or #ParaTodosVerem (#ForEveryoneSee). And that is excellent.
This type of description introduces accessibility to people who are not yet familiar with the topic. A reader who comes across a photo description in an online newspaper is encouraged to think about the feature and may begin to engage with the cause. I have lost count of how many times I have heard from people who had never had any contact with digital accessibility that one of my posts or comments sparked their interest in the subject—even though accessibility is not part of their professional field.
This practice encourages users to adopt the same care in their own photos, which is already a major step forward. The path from this action to starting to caption videos or promoting broader inclusion is promising. And it takes very little effort to add a brief description immediately after a photo caption.
Although there are no exact records of how much this initiative has increased the accessibility of social media posts, the popularity of the hashtags is a strong indicator. A search for these terms reveals recent posts, demonstrating the longevity of an initiative that began in 2012.
Applying this logic to the websites we develop, we need to go further to give the cause the visibility it needs. Simply adding contrast buttons or generic icons is not enough. It is essential to provide an easily accessible link from the homepage to an Accessibility Statement. This statement should include all the tests and measures carried out to ensure accessible navigation. To understand what should be included in such a statement, I strongly recommend watching Claudia Nascimento’s video from the workshop on ABNT Standard 17227, held in August 2025.
Making accessibility visible is important for everyone:
- For people with disabilities, who can find information about the measures taken to prevent barriers to their navigation;
- For companies, which can demonstrate that they are complying with the law by following internationally recognized best practices;
- For developers, who have detailed documentation of what has been implemented on the website;
- For users without disabilities, who will be exposed to the reality of a Web that should be truly accessible and inclusive.
I still advocate for invisible accessibility—the well-developed, semantic code that works without drawing attention to itself. However, we need to show society that this work has been done, whether to provide evidence for an audit or to demonstrate our care and commitment to a Web that is truly for everyone.
It is past time to treat the promotion of digital accessibility as something natural and essential. Everyone has a responsibility in this process and can contribute in some way, whether by producing content on social media or by designing and developing robust applications. Promoting accessibility means expanding access, reducing barriers, and ensuring that more people can fully participate in the digital environment.
