Under the law, every person has the right to give feedback on the accessibility of a website or mobile application. Provide feedback directly to the service provider or the organization responsible for the site or application.
What can you give accessibility feedback on?
Your feedback can include a request for content that does not meet the accessibility requirements and content which is not in an accessible format that suits you. The request must be reasonable.
You can also provide feedback on any shortcomings you have noticed under accessibility requirements. In addition, you can request clarifications on justification concerning the so-called “disproportionate burden” of meeting the requirements.
You should be able to provide feedback on accessibility either by an online form or e-mail.
The service provider must respond to your feedback within two weeks. If a request to receive information in an accessible format concerns extensive content of a digital service, the service provider must respond within four weeks. You can also leave feedback anonymously. In this case, the service provider does not need to respond to the feedback, but it should take into account the shortcomings in accessibility that were mentioned in the feedback.
Which websites and mobile apps can you provide feedback on?
You can provide feedback on the websites and mobile applications to which the legal requirements apply.
If you are not satisfied with the response, you can contact the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom
The service provider must respond to your feedback within two weeksor, in the case of a request concerning extensive content of a service, within four weeks. In addition, if you have requested content in an accessible format, the service provider should provide you with a written certificate if, despite your request, it cannot provide the content in an accessible format.
If you are not satisfied with the response you received, or if you do not receive a reply at all, you can contact us at The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom and submit a request for clarification or a complaint about shortcomings in accessibility.
The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom is the authority supervising compliance with the accessibility requirements of the Act in Finland. However, always make sure to submit a request or give feedback first to the operator responsible for the website or mobile app.
You can submit a complaint or request for clarification to the supervisory authority using an online form or by email at saavutettavuus@traficom.fi or kirjaamo@traficom.fi. If you wish, you can also send a complaint or request for clarification by post to Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom PO Box 320 FI-00059 TRAFICOM. The complaint or request for clarification may be free-form but it must include sufficient details in order for us to process it. Please indicate at least which website or mobile app the complaint or clarification is about, whether you have contacted the actor responsible for the website or app, and what is the accessibility challenge you wish to make a complaint about to the supervisory authority.
How do I know whether to make a request for clarification or a complaint?
You do not need to know in advance whether you want to submit a request for clarification or a complaint. If necessary, we at The Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom can help you proceed with the matter.
However, the following paragraphs explain the differences between a complaint and a request for clarification, and how you know which one your case is.
Request for clarification
You can submit a request for clarification to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom in these cases:
- The service provider has refused to provide the requested content in an accessible format and has issued a written statement of refusal.
- The service provider has not handled your request to receive content in an accessible format in the manner or within the time frame prescribed by the Act on the Provision of Digital Services.
Processing the request for clarification
Traficom will process your request for clarification, obtain the necessary information, and issue an appealable decision.
Complaint
You can submit a complaint on accessibility to the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom about a service provider that has not complied with the accessibility requirements of the Act. These requirements largely concern the technical functionality of the service.
You can also file a complaint if the service provider does not have an accessibility statement or the statement does not contain sufficient information on why some content has been excluded from the accessibility requirements.
You can also file a complaint, for example, on the fact that the service provider does not have an electronic channel, i.e. an online form or an email address to which accessibility feedback can be submitted.
You should first contact the service provider to ask about the matter.
Traficom will process the complaint and obtain the necessary information related to the matter. Based on the complaint, Traficom may, if necessary, guide the service provider on the procedures and compliance with the requirements laid down in the Act on the Provision of Digital Services.
If you are not sure whether your issue concerns accessibility
You also have the right to receive support and advice for the use of online services provided by public authorities. The authority must provide contact information on its website which you can
contact to ask for advice on how to use the service. If you are unsure whether the problem you are experiencing concerns accessibility, you should in any case contact the service provider for advice.