Invisible, Unreadable, and Inaudible Cookie Notices: An Evaluation of Cookie Notices for Users with Visual Impairments

Abstract

This article investigates the accessibility of cookie notices on websites for users with visual impairments (VI) via a set of system studies on top UK websites (n = 46) and a user study (n = 100). We use a set of methods and tools—including accessibility testing tools, text-only browsers, and screen readers—to perform our system studies. Our results demonstrate that the majority of cookie notices on these websites have some form of accessibility issue, including contrast issues, not having headings, and not being read aloud immediately when the page is loaded. We discuss how such practices impact the user experience and privacy and provide a set of recommendations for multiple stakeholders for more accessible websites and better privacy practices for users with VIs. To complement our technical contribution, we conduct a user study, finding that people with VIs generally have a negative view of cookie notices and believe our recommendations could help their online experience.