Most businesses don’t get sued or fined because they ignored compliance.
They get in trouble because their website looks fine, but under even light scrutiny, it fails in ways that are easy to spot, easy to prove, and easy to exploit.
At Filmclusive Studio, we design websites as systems, not just pages. That means accessibility, privacy, consent, and trust are built into how the site works, not bolted on after a problem appears.
Below are the ten most common website compliance failures we see, ordered by how often they actually trigger legal or platform action — and how good design mitigates them before they become liabilities.
1. ADA & WCAG Accessibility Violations (The Fastest Way to Get Targeted)
This is the number one reason websites get hit with demand letters.
Accessibility lawsuits are popular because they’re:
- Easy to identify
- Cheap to file
- Hard to argue against
Lawyers don’t need to understand your business. They just need a screen reader and a checklist.
Common failures
- Missing or meaningless alt text
- Poor color contrast
- Keyboard navigation that doesn’t work
- Forms without proper labels
- Modals and menus that trap focus
Why this causes trouble Accessibility violations are visible immediately and don’t require data breaches or intent.
How we mitigate it
- We design and test against WCAG standards from the start
- We treat accessibility as a functional requirement, not a visual afterthought
- We audit interaction flows, not just page screenshots
2. “We Have a Privacy Policy” (But the Site Doesn’t Follow It)
Most privacy problems aren’t about missing policies. They’re about policy drift.
The site evolves. The policy doesn’t.
Common failures
- New analytics added without disclosure
- Forms collecting more data than described
- AI tools introduced quietly
Why this causes trouble Regulators focus on deceptive practices—which includes saying you do one thing while your site actually does another.
How we mitigate it
- We audit real data flows, not just pages
- We align system behavior with actual disclosures
- We flag gaps before they become deceptive
3. Cookie & Tracking Consent That Doesn’t Actually Work
Cookie banners are one of the most misunderstood compliance tools.
A banner that looks correct but doesn’t control scripts is worse than no banner at all.
Common failures
- Analytics firing before consent
- Third-party scripts loading automatically
- “Decline” buttons that don’t truly opt users out
How we mitigate it
- We inventory every tracker and script
- We enforce consent at the system level
- We make cookie behavior match user choice, not UI intent
4. Accidental Collection of Children’s Data
Many sites say “we do not knowingly collect children’s data” — but their systems don’t enforce that promise.
If a child can submit a form or trigger analytics, that statement is meaningless.
How we mitigate it
- We evaluate whether age-gating or specific controls are allowed
- We gate data collection until age is known
- We design for immediate deletion if a child is detected
5. “Delete Account” That Doesn’t Actually Delete Anything
This is one of the fastest ways to lose user trust.
On many sites, deletion only removes login access. Identity and data still exist in analytics, logs, vendors, and backups.
How we mitigate it
- We define what deletion actually means
- We map identity across systems
- We eliminate ghost accounts and stale records
6. Experiments and A/B Tests That Bypass Consent
Experiments are production systems pretending not to be.
They often:
- Log extra data
- Run before consent
- Bypass review because they’re "temporary"
How we mitigate it
- We treat experiments as real production behavior
- We enforce consent parity across all variants
- We clean up experiments instead of forgetting them
7. AI Features Without Clear Data Boundaries
AI is now part of many websites, whether intentional or not.
Common failures
- Data sent to AI vendors without disclosure
- Prompt logs stored indefinitely
- No opt-out for training or analysis
How we mitigate it
- We inventory AI usage explicitly
- We separate training from functionality
- We design clear disclosures and controls
8. “We Don’t Sell Data” (But We Still Extract Value From It)
Data doesn’t need to be sold to be monetized.
Analytics, insights, and aggregation still create value that users may not expect.
How we mitigate it
- We map data to insights to decisions
- We identify where value extraction exceeds expectation
- We align disclosures with reality
9. Dark Patterns That Were Never Meant to Be Dark
Most manipulative design isn’t intentional.
It emerges from:
- Extra steps to opt out
- Controls that imply more power than they give
- Unequal friction between choices
How we mitigate it
- Equal friction for accept and decline
- Clear, reversible controls
- Honest interaction design
10. No Plan for Breach Notification
Breaches happen. Companies don’t fail because of the incident. They fail because of the response.
How we mitigate it
- We design logging and escalation paths early
- We help clients prepare response workflows
- We default to minimal, controlled disclosure
Why This Matters for Web Design
Modern websites are not brochures. They are operating systems for trust.
Every form, script, integration, animation, and experiment changes your compliance posture — whether you realize it or not.
At Filmclusive Studio, we don’t promise immunity. We promise best-effort, defensible, accessibility-first systems designed to avoid the most common and costly mistakes.
That’s how good websites stay online, trusted, and out of trouble.