The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes access to information and communication technologies as a basic human right. Digital accessibility helps fulfill this right by ensuring equal access to online information and services for everyone.

In the US, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers accessibility requirements for digital content, including websites. Similarly, the European Union's Web Accessibility Directive mandates accessibility standards for public sector websites and applications. These laws aim to make websites accessible to people with disabilities, recognizing them as places of public accommodation and promoting inclusivity.

While websites are a significant focus, digital accessibility requires other digital products and services such as mobile applications, software applications, electronic documents (e.g., PDFs), online forms, multimedia content (e.g., videos and audio), social media platforms, and more. A commitment that ll digital content and technologies are usable by people with disabilities, regardless of the specific platform or format.