Redbox sued over access for visually impaired

[The Straight Story]

Redbox sued over access for visually impaired

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Redbox is being sued by a group of people with disabilities. The federal civil rights lawsuit says the giant movie rental service discriminates against blind people.

Many movies are dialogue driven and can be enjoyed by the visually impaired.

"You can enjoy large aspects of the narrative without needing to see the visual aspect of the movie at all," Disability Rights Advocates lawyer Michael Nunez said.

Friends and family can also help.

"If there's kind of a non-verbal part of the movie happening, you know, they'll describe what's happening to me," lawsuit plaintiff Lisamaria Martinez said.

But the kiosks of the video rental giant Redbox are difficult, if not impossible, to use for those who are blind and visually impaired. The lawsuit says Redbox needs to change the technology in their kiosks so the visually impaired can rent movies too.

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/national_world&id=8503403

[flying rabbit]

1. If friends and family are needed to explain the movie

couldn't they also rent the movie?

[Capitalocracy]

6. Movies often (and always should, especially now that we use DVDs)...

come with an audio description track for visually impaired people. So it's not all friends and family explaining the movie.

[BadgerKid]

2. Disagree with the lawsuit, but agree with the issue awareness.

Basically, Netflix is being sued for not having something like a Braille touchscreen. OK, why not sue every other smartphone, tablet, etc., manufacturer? I'm sure it is possible to incorporate a "hover" mode and have audio output indicating the user's choice.

[JCMach1]

3. I call BS on that too... Virtually all of the blind who use technology these days use a braille

real-time text interface and/or a variant of the software known as JAWS that navigates you around the page using voice.

[greyl]

4. This is about RedBox, not Netflix.

RedBox actually has physical kiosks all over the place that hold the DVDs - like a vending machine for DVDs.

[JCMach1]

7. Someone mentioned Netflix though...

Really wouldn't be that hard for Redbox to develop a text screen reading interface...

[The Straight Story]

8. Well, maybe not hard, but expensive

to retrofit all of their old machines (someone is probably looking at the cost per visually impaired person using it). All consumers will end paying extra to cover the retrofit (ie, if we all volunteer to a price hike/tax from red box I am sure they will be more than willing to make the needed changes)

[CreekDog]

5. ADA is the law and trumps your disagreement

sorry.

[cthulu2016]

9. The ADA is the basis for the suit. That statement says nothing about the merits

The poster said he or she disagreed with the suit, presumably on its peculiar merits.

The ADA does not say, "All suits initiated within these provisions shall be found to be meritorious."

[HopeHoops]

10. Hell, I can't even read the damn screen as it is. The blind just won't be satisfied.

It used to be really easy to select movies. A couple of months ago, they went to thumbnails that are so small that I can barely read them and my up-close vision is pretty damn good. Unless they invent pop-up Braille LCDs, I don't see a solution. I'd rather use the Braille!!! (And yes, I can read Braille - I learned it in 4th grade by myself).