A blind man has filed a lawsuit against Playboy for discrimination because its online publication isn’t compatible with his screen-reading software, meaning he can’t enjoy the publication to its fullest.
Donald Nixon, from Queens, New York, claims Playboy.com are violating the American Disabilities Act (ADA) by not making the site accessible to the blind. He has filed a class action civil lawsuit against the company, requesting unspecified damages and a change to their software.
In court documents filed Wednesday, Nixon complained that blind and visually-impaired people “cannot fully and equally use or enjoy the facilities, products and services” because images lack “a text equivalent”.
Screen reading software allows blind people to access text with a speech synthesiser or braille display.
The lawsuit also accuses Playboyshop.com of breaching the law, and says that the software issues mean he’s unable to purchase products from the site.
Playboy has yet to comment on the lawsuit. If convicted, they face a fine of more than $100,000. Nixon has reportedly filed 47 other lawsuits against companies for similar ADA violations.
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Meanwhile, Playboy began auctioning off its late founder Hugh Hefner's personal belongings on Friday, including his signature silk pyjamas, estimated to sell for up to $2,000, iconic red smoking jacket, worth up to $5,000, and white captain’s hat.
Hefner died of natural causes in September 2017, aged 91. Proceeds from the two-day auction will go to his charitable foundation, which advocates for civil liberties and rights.
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