Patreon and American Council of the Blind Announce Digital Accessibility Initiative

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA, July 02, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Patreon, working with the American Council of the Blind, announced a sweeping initiative to enhance its website and mobile applications to make them more accessible for creators and patrons who have vision impairments.

"It was important for us to work on this inclusive initiative with representatives of the blind community," said Amy Truong, VP Engineering at Patreon. "Diversity and inclusion are core values at Patreon. Making our services available to a wide array of creators and their patrons is not only in line with our core behaviors but also important for the blind community."

Patreon collaborated with representatives of the blind community so they each could better understand the challenges and opportunities to enhance Patreon's digital platforms.

"Full access to the business tools for creators offered by Patreon is important for everyone. I'm very pleased that Patreon will make its web and mobile platforms more accessible, particularly for people who are blind or partially sighted, allowing all creators and their supporters access to the experiences provided by Patreon," said Robert Kingett, long-time Patreon creator who is blind.

"The American Council of the Blind congratulates Patreon for its demonstrated commitment to access and usability, and for its leadership role in making its business tools available to everyone," stated Eric Bridges, executive director of the American Council of the Blind.

Patreon has adopted the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 level AA as its digital accessibility standard. Patreon is also working to ensure that it provides its creators with tools that conform with the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) 2.0. These standards are developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web and its availability to all. More information is available at www.w3.org/WAI. Patreon has already made substantial enhancements to its digital offerings.

More information on Patreon's enhancements is available on the company's new Accessibility Information Page, https://www.patreon.com/policy/accessibility.

About Patreon

Patreon powers membership businesses for creators by giving them the tools they need to acquire, manage, and energize their paying patrons. With a subscription-style payment model, fans pay their favorite creators a monthly amount of their choice in exchange for exclusive access, extra content, or a closer look into their creative journey.

This model is a win-win; creators retain creative freedom while getting the salary they deserve, and fans get to rest easy knowing that their money goes directly towards creating more of what they love.

About the American Council of the Blind

The American Council of the Blind is the largest consumer-based organization of blind and visually impaired Americans advocating for the rights of blind Americans. Comprised of more than 70 affiliates across the United States, the organization is dedicated to making it possible for blind and visually impaired Americans to participate fully in all aspects of American society. For more information, visit www.acb.org.

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