To: Legal, Compliance, and Executive Leadership at Samsung and Google
We are writing on behalf of the Global Accessibility Advocacy Coalition—a body representing thousands of blind and visually impaired Android users worldwide. This notice is a formal and final demand for immediate action regarding ongoing violations of international accessibility standards and competition law.
🔹 1. Violation of International Accessibility Standards (WCAG):
Samsung’s forced implementation of Samsung TalkBack, alongside its restrictions on Google TalkBack, directly violates the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1). These actions undermine the principles of **Operability**, **Robustness**, and **User Control**, creating a hostile and discriminatory environment for users who rely on functional and familiar assistive technologies.
🔹 2. Violation of Global Competition and Antitrust Laws:
Samsung is abusing its dominant market position by prioritizing its own accessibility software at the expense of user choice, thereby engaging in **anti-competitive conduct**. Google, by remaining silent and permitting this practice, is complicit. These behaviors are in direct violation of competition laws under the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the European Commission's DG Competition, and similar regulatory bodies globally.
⚠️ This is not a request for feature improvement. It is a **legal and ethical demand** for minimum compliance.
We demand that the following actions be taken **within five (5) business days**:
1. **Cease and Desist:** Samsung must immediately remove any restrictions blocking the installation, defaulting, or functioning of Google TalkBack and other accessibility services on its devices.
2. **Public Commitment to User Freedom:** Samsung and Google must issue a public statement committing to preserve user choice in assistive technologies and accessibility settings across all Android versions.
📣 If these demands are not met within the specified timeline, we will initiate the following:
- **Formal Complaints:** Filed with global competition authorities, including the DOJ (USA), the European Commission, and regulatory agencies in Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
- **Legal Action:** Collaboration with leading digital rights and disability law firms to pursue class-action lawsuits for discriminatory practices under international disability law.
- **Media Exposure:** A full-scale media campaign involving The Verge, Wired, TechCrunch, and major disability advocacy publications highlighting this issue as “A War on Accessibility.”
🛑 This is your final opportunity to rectify this situation voluntarily. Your next action—or inaction—will be recorded, reported, and responded to publicly.
Do you have a problem with Samsung doing this? If you don't have a problem with Google Talkback not getting an update soon, then just support it. Thank you.
