What Are Digital Assets?

Published August 16, 2024

When discussing various accessibility laws like Section 508, “digital assets” are mentioned as a facet of accessibility. However, there is often little explanation of a digital asset. What counts as a digital asset? What exactly should you be making accessible? The answer may surprise you. 

Digital assets exist only in digital form and come with a distinct usage right or permission for use. Digital assets include but are not limited to digital documents, audible content, motion pictures, electronic mail, websites, and a multitude of other digital formats and their respective metadata. Let’s take a deeper dive into some of these assets.

Websites

A website is the first and most obvious thing that counts as a digital asset. Websites make up the majority of information technology covered by accessibility laws, though they are by no means the only thing covered. If you have a website, you should be following accessibility guidelines and laws, whether it's the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), or any other law or regulation. 

There are over one billion websites on the Internet. That’s a lot to keep accessible. And not just the content on those websites must be accessible — websites themselves can also be hosts to other digital assets, so the need to be accessible is critical. 

Intranets

An Intranet is “a private network used by an organization.” Usually, they are where companies or employers host internal documents or servers, like timekeeping, employee handbooks, or benefits information. They can also be used to communicate information to employees through bulletins or other posts on the Intranet. 

Certain laws and regulations, like Section 508, explicitly cover Intranets as a digital asset that must be made accessible to comply. Still, for those that don’t, Intranets fall under the category of other digital assets. Making Intranets accessible is undoubtedly part of the ADA, as it allows employees equal access to information. Intranets can be made accessible by following guidance outlined in accessibility laws and guidelines, like WCAG, Section 508, and the ADA. 

PDFs

A lot of information, especially in the form of technical manuals or instructional material, is uploaded online in a Portable Document Format (PDF). PDFs are common because they are highly readable using most software and usually do not require any extra downloads, but making them accessible is important as well. They are another digital asset covered under accessibility laws and guidelines. 

You may be wondering how to make a PDF accessible since it’s impossible to edit them. Many accessibility organizations, like the World Wide Web Consortium (W3), have detailed guides covering ensuring PDFs are made accessible. That way, you can be sure you comply with accessibility laws and guidelines. After all, it is easier to make a PDF accessible from the beginning than to try and edit it after the fact.

Emails

Emails are a little known digital asset covered under many accessibility laws and guidelines — most notably Section 508. Emails must be accessible internally, for employees, and externally, in case they may be made public. Emails are made public in many governmental cases, as they are a matter of public record. 

There are a number of ways to ensure your emails are up to accessibility standards. Some email service providers, like Microsoft Outlook, will help you if your emails violate any accessibility standards, but you must not become complacent. Keep your content accessible by using alt text for images where possible and following best practices for links, and try to stick to email themes with good color contrast.

Mobile apps

As technology continues innovating, many companies have developed mobile apps to accompany their websites. Mobile apps are ubiquitous — over seven million of them are available across the various app stores. Having a mobile app comes with its own set of requirements for accessibility, but are mobile apps a digital asset? 

Not technically as defined by any accessibility law or guideline. However, things may change in the future. Recently, WCAG released the latest version of their guidelines, version 2.2, which explicitly mentions mobile accessibility for the first time. Previous versions had guidance but no requirements — this version goes further. With the popularity of mobile apps growing, there may be a similar shift in laws and guidelines to include them as digital assets. However, just because they aren’t a digital asset now does not mean your app is free of accessibility requirements. 

Conclusion

Digital assets cover a broad range of things, from websites to emails, all of which must be accessible to comply with accessibility laws and guidelines. Knowing what counts as a digital asset can help you remain accessible across the board, which is critical in today’s digital world. 

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