Proxi Map Feature — Accessibility Statement

Proxi is committed to making the interactive map experience accessible to visitors of all abilities. This statement covers the public-facing map page that visitors interact with when they explore your district, event, or destination.

Our target standard is WCAG 2.1 Level AA — the benchmark referenced in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) web accessibility guidance and most state and local accessibility requirement.

This statement describes what we have built, where shared responsibility exists between Proxi and your organization, and where we are continuing to improve.

The visitor-facing map experience consists of:

The interactive map canvas — the visual, pan-and-zoom Google Map — relies on Google Maps' built-in keyboard support, which is limited. We do not consider the map canvas itself to be the primary path for keyboard or screen reader users.

Instead, the Browse Locations panel is the designed accessible alternative. It contains every location on the map as a scrollable, searchable text list, complete with names, addresses, descriptions, and categories. Visitors can find, read, and navigate every location on the map without ever interacting with the map canvas.

This is intentional. The list gives visitors who use screen readers, keyboard navigation, or other assistive technology a complete, reliable path through the map content — not a degraded fallback.

A screen-reader-only announcement at the top of the page surfaces this path immediately. It reads as a direct link — "Browse all [X] locations as a text list" — and is the first focusable element a keyboard or screen reader user encounters.

Every interactive element outside the map canvas is operable by keyboard alone.

The experience is built with semantic HTML and ARIA attributes to support screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.

The accessible path through your map depends in part on how you have configured it. Some settings directly affect whether keyboard and screen reader users can access your locations. This section describes the choices that matter most.

If your organization needs to demonstrate accessibility compliance, keep all four of these enabled.

Use the Standard map style. The admin map style picker labels the Standard (Google Maps default) style as "Best for accessibility." It has the highest contrast road labels and the clearest visual hierarchy of any available style. Night, Spooky, and Fireworks themes have lower contrast and are not recommended when accessibility is a priority.

Pay attention to the color contrast warning. The admin color picker shows a live warning when your selected brand colors fall below the 4.5:1 contrast ratio required by WCAG 2.1 AA for body text. Heed this warning. If you dismiss it and publish with low-contrast colors, the text your visitors read — location names, descriptions, filter labels — may be difficult or impossible to read for visitors with low vision.

Fill in location details completely. Screen reader users cannot see the pin on the map. They hear the name, address, and description you provide in the location editor. A location named "Coffee Shop" with no address and no description gives a screen reader user nothing to work with. A location with a complete address, a description of what to expect, hours, and category tags gives them everything a sighted visitor gets from seeing it on the map.

Enable search. Search lets keyboard users find a specific location by typing rather than tabbing through an entire list.

For an organization that needs to be able to demonstrate accessibility compliance, the recommended configuration is:

We believe in being straightforward about where accessibility depends on participant hardware, third-party infrastructure, or areas where we are still improving.

The map canvas itself

The interactive map canvas — the pins, pan controls, and zoom — is powered by Google Maps. Google Maps' built-in keyboard and screen reader support for individual markers is limited. Proxi has intentionally designed the Browse Locations text list as the accessible alternative so visitors are not dependent on the map canvas to access location information. We do not currently expose individual map pins as keyboard-navigable elements beyond Google Maps' default behavior.

Category markers on the map canvas

While location list entries include category names as text, the visual markers on the map canvas itself are visual-only. The list view is where category information is available as accessible text.

Some map styles have lower contrast

The Night, Spooky, and Fireworks map styles are designed for visual appeal and do not meet the contrast standards of the Standard style. Admins who choose these styles are accepting a tradeoff in readability for users with low vision.

Check-in and geolocation features for challenges

QR code check-in requires camera access. Geolocation check-in requires GPS access. These features rely on device hardware and operating system permissions. Participants using assistive technologies or devices without camera or GPS access may find these flows challenging. Organizers running challenges should consider whether alternate check-in methods are appropriate for their event.

Photo uploads for challenges

Some challenge activities require photo submission. This requires access to a camera or photo library and may pose a barrier for some participants. Organizers can choose which activities require photos and may wish to offer alternatives.

Admin portal

This statement covers the visitor-facing map experience only. Accessibility improvements to the Proxi admin portal are ongoing and will be documented separately.

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment. Here is where we are actively investing:

If a visitor to your map encounters a barrier, we want to hear about it.

Contact Proxi support through the chat widget in your Proxi dashboard, or reach out to your account contact directly.

Organizers who need to support specific accessibility accommodations for their district, event, or destination are encouraged to reach out — we can help you understand your options and plan accordingly.

Last updated: March 2026. This statement will be reviewed and updated as the map experience evolves.

A note on using this document with city officials or legal reviewers: This statement is intended to describe Proxi's current implementation honestly. It is not a legal certification. Organizations with specific ADA compliance requirements should consult with an accessibility specialist to assess their full program — including any communications, printed materials, in-person signage, and event logistics that fall outside the Proxi platform.