Many of you probably have a Netflix account, or at least have heard of the fast-growing online movies and TV programs provider. But what you probably don’t know is that the company has been embroiled in a lawsuit filed by The National Association for the Deaf, who claims the company is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by withholding closed captioning from its “Watch Instantly” on-demand collection of movies. Netflix wanted to dismiss the suit originally, arguing that the ADA necessitates disability accommodations to be made only for in stores and physical structures – an argument accepted by past courts up until this week. On Tuesday, however, U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor said the law prohibits discrimination in any venue, “including the Internet,” so the suit will proceed accordingly. Though there is still much litigation to be done – since Netflix could still appeal the ruling to federal appeals court in Boston – this seems to be a step in the right direction. No one should be denied their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – and sometimes the pursuit of happiness may be something as simple as watching a movie.
Read more here: https://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/21/BU7F1P5P7A.DTL&tsp=1
