Put your accessibility skills to use, join BarrierBreak’s Covid Accessibility Bug Bounty campaign!

Information can help stop the spread of COVID-19 but not everyone has equal access to critical lifesaving information about the pandemic. This is because most websites and apps related to COVID-19 around the world are inaccessible to people with disabilities. You can do something to change this! Put your accessibility skills to the test and become a part of the global Bug Bounty campaign. launched by BarrierBreak to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) 2021. The #CovidAccessibilityBugBounty campaign is open to people around the world.

From proper social distancing techniques to getting COVID-19 vaccine appointments all the crucial lifesaving information we need to stay safe from the deadly COVID-19 virus is available online. Yet most of the information published online by government and non-government organisations are not accessible to persons with disability.

A global survey published earlier this year of nearly 200 countries found that 89% of them have websites and mobile apps that do not adhere to international recognised accessibility guidelines! Most government websites violate disability laws enacted in their countries. Many of them had significant accessibility errors that present significant barriers to people with disabilities. This means not everyone has equal access to information that can stop the spread of Covid-19.

Spot the accessibility bugs on COVID-19 websites/apps

Now you have the chance to spot these accessibility bugs in the Bug Bounty campaign! This is a campaign to mark Global Accessibility Awareness Day #GAAD21 announced by BarrierBreak, a social enterprise and offshore leader in digital Accessibility.

To celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day on 20 May, BarrierBreak has announced the #CovidAccessibilityBugBounty campaign. It gives people across the world an opportunity to put their accessibility skills to use. All they need to do is take some time out to test COVID-19 websites and mobile apps in their countries and identify accessibility bugs.

How to be a part of Accessibility Bug Bounty campaign

So, here’s how you join the campaign. Go to a Covid-19 information website or mobile app in your country or local area disseminating information. Conduct an Accessibility Test to check for a bug. You can start submitting the accessibility bugs from 20 May which is Global Accessibility Awareness Day, #GAAD21.

Click this link to submit your bug.

The problem of COVID-19 information being accessible is a global issue which is evident from the response we got from colleagues globally who came forward to support #CovidAccessibilityBugBounty. It is at times like this that the Disability and #Accessibility Community need to come together to bridge the gap! – Shilpi Kapoor, Founder-CEO, BarrierBreak

Several leading organisations and activists from around the world have signed up for the Accessibility Bug Bounty campaign. These including disability rights organisations like Access Israel, Disability:IN, Ruh Global IMPACT, International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP), Accessbilidad Web, Billion Strong, 247 Accessible Documents, HEARCOLORS, Funka, Hilfsgemeinschaft, Newz Hook, Linkennium, National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and Knowbility.

“Glad to be a supporter of #CovidAccessibilityBugBounty campaign!”, tweeted Disability:IN, a United States-based disability rights organisation that is working towards building an inclusive global economy. “This GAAD be the reason for a change. Put your accessibility skills to use by testing COVID-19 websites in your countries and identifying accessibility bugs”.

This is a great opportunity to push for equality in accessibility. Join the Accessibility Bug Bounty hunt and drive the Accessibility change. Come join the #CovidAccessibilityBugBounty campaign this GAAD2021! Campaign starts 20 May!

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