The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has approved a final consent order against accessiBe Inc. and accessiBe Ltd., mandating a payment of $1 million due to misleading claims regarding their product, accessWidget. The company had asserted that this plug-in could make any website compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a claim that the FTC found to be false and unsubstantiated.

The FTC's proposed complaint from January 2025 highlighted that accessWidget did not ensure WCAG compliance for all user websites, contradicting the company's assertions. Furthermore, the complaint pointed out that accessiBe had deceptively formatted third-party articles and reviews to mislead consumers into believing these were independent opinions, without disclosing the company's connections to the reviewers.

The final order prohibits accessiBe from making any claims that its automated products can guarantee WCAG compliance or maintain compliance over time unless they possess adequate evidence to support such statements. Additionally, the order bars the company from misrepresenting material facts about its products and services, including the independence of reviews and endorsements related to their automated products.

After a public comment period, the FTC voted unanimously (3-0) to approve the final consent order and will communicate with individuals who submitted comments during the review process.