Accessibility Directive – digital services, new requirements from June 28, 2025.

For the vast majority of private companies, your website, e-commerce or web service will have to meet a number of requirements by June 28, 2025 that previously only applied to authorities. That is when we will get a new law in Sweden based on the Accessibility Directive, which is about making electronic services accessible to everyone. The law is based on The European Accessibility Act, EAA, and means that companies need to ensure that websites, products and services are usable for everyone. Lack of compliance can lead to fines and products being removed from the market.

Approximately 20% of Sweden’s population lives with a physical, mental or intellectual disability. If we include temporary and situational impairments, the figure is even higher. In order for your service to be inclusive and not exclude anyone, it needs to be adapted for people with, for example, impaired vision, hearing, motor skills and concentration.

The Accessibility Directive applies in principle to all companies in the private sector. There are exceptions and these are companies that are referred to as micro-enterprises. A micro-enterprise is a company with fewer than 10 employees and a turnover of less than EUR 2 million. This distinction is made because the effort for these companies is too large in proportion to the size of the companies.

There are a few more exceptions and it depends on the type of service and the size of the effort that the measure requires. For example, map services are not covered as these are considered difficult to adapt to accessibility as they are based on being able to see what you are interacting with. Older content and archived material can also be considered to fall outside the legal requirement. In terms of effort, the work to adapt the product or service to accessibility must not be too much of a benefit for the benefit it would entail, or require too fundamental changes. This is a grey area, there is no right or wrong, but a case-by-case assessment is required.

If you do not adapt your service or product to accessibility, and the shortcomings are considered too great in relation to legal requirements, there may be penalty fees. However, it should be said that you will first receive warnings requesting you to adapt your service or product. If you, despite these warnings, do not take any corrective action, the penalty fees in Sweden range from SEK 10,000 up to SEK 10,000,000 depending on the size of your company and your target group. The Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) is the coordinating authority with the mission of ensuring compliance with the Accessibility Directive.

In addition to the above, it should also be borne in mind that, as mentioned, there are approximately 20% of the population who are potentially excluded and cannot use your product or service, and this can ultimately affect both your brand and the ability of your company to achieve its full potential.

It is important not to fall into the feeling that there is a long way to go until June 28, 2025. Keep in mind that this is the latest date for implementation. If you have any concerns about how this will affect you, we have the resources you need.

Upgraded continues its strong growth journey from 2023 and has a turnover of 130 million SEK in January compared to 69.4 million SEK in January 2023. This represents growth of a whopping 87.3%.

New business and assignments

During the first month of the year, we have been awarded several new exciting assignments in both the public and private sectors. If we look at the private sector, it is primarily in the banking, finance and insurance segments; energy and the automotive industry that things are moving the most. Within the public sector, we continue to be strengthened with increased trust from government agencies, municipalities and regions. We are also noticing the effects of an increasingly strong brand in that during the month we have received several exciting inquiries from the market from customers who are reaching out for an initiated collaboration.

Upgraded’s position in the market continues to be strengthened and we have high ambitions for the future. I would like to express my gratitude to all our fantastic employees, customers and partners who make this fantastic growth journey possible. I look forward to the rest of 2024 with great confidence, says Birgitta Hedegård, CEO of Upgraded People AB.

About Upgraded

Upgraded offers the market tailor-made solutions to meet the unique needs and wishes of its clients, we have a focus on services that lead the digital transformation forward to sleeplessly take on the challenges and opportunities of the future. Upgraded’s clients are found in both the public and private sectors with over 1000 consultants on assignment. We provide the right resource at the right time to enable our clients’ goals and visions for the benefit of the individual, organizations and society. We have a focus on services that lead the digital transformation to sleeplessly take on the challenges and opportunities of the future.

The increasing cyber threat

In a more digitalized world, this means more and more opportunities for cybercriminals to strike. “Smart” internet-connected products have become part of everyday life and have increased convenience. As the number of smart products in homes increases, so do the ways in which hackers can carry out cyberattacks, steal personal data or cause privacy violations.

Given that the internet-connected devices in the home are interconnected, even a seemingly harmless attack on one of the devices can lead to significantly more serious privacy breaches, such as cybercriminals gaining access to banking details, shopping habits or other sensitive information.

How to protect your smart home? Below we list 8 tips on how to best protect yourself and your home.

1. Install a VPN on your router, which encrypts the traffic of all smart products used in the home network, the data becomes anonymous and more difficult for hackers or third parties to use.
2. Use strong passwords for your wireless network.
3. Divide your home network into smaller segments to isolate IoT devices from devices that store sensitive information.
4. Disable unnecessary features on your smart devices that are not needed for their basic function. For example, turn off the products’ location services and the like.
5. Review the security practices of manufacturers before purchasing an IoT device. Choose devices from trusted manufacturers that provide regular security updates.
6. Limit the sharing of personal information by configuring privacy settings on your devices.
7. Exercise caution and control over what data you consent to collect and share, and be careful about sharing personal information online.
8. Regularly back up your data and important files to an external drive so that you can restore your data if necessary.

The EU’s upcoming regulation of artificial intelligence is expected to enter into force before the summer. A significant step on this path was taken on 13 March 2024 when the European Parliament voted through the proposal with 523 votes in favour, 46 against and 49 abstentions. This will create the world’s first binding law on artificial intelligence, to reduce risks, create opportunities, combat discrimination and improve transparency. The proposed AI Regulation is based on a risk-based structure, which means that AI systems will be categorised and regulated differently depending on the risk they pose. Some AI systems will be banned completely while others will be subject to higher or lower requirements. With the AI ​​Act, the EU has divided AI technology and its use into the following four risk categories: unacceptable, high, limited and minimal.

AI systems that are deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to citizens will be banned. This includes bans on the use of facial recognition in public settings (with some exceptions for law enforcement purposes), systems that aim to manipulate or mislead people’s behaviour or emotions, and social scoring. AI systems that are deemed to pose a high risk will have to meet strict requirements before they can be put on the market. Examples of such high-risk AI include systems used in critical sectors such as employment and education, critical infrastructure, credit checks, and biometric identification and categorisation of individuals. AI systems in these sectors will require careful review and certification to ensure security and to avoid violations of fundamental rights. Some of the requirements that must be met include the use of risk management systems, technical documentation, human review, and transparency and information requirements.

Given the rapid development of generative AI and basic models, such as the Chat GPT, specific rules are being introduced in the AI ​​Regulation. These rules will cover basic models that are trained on large data sets and can perform a wide range of tasks. These models will be subject to different obligations depending on the risks they are considered to pose to society.

For lower-risk AI systems, such as virtual assistants, chatbots and deepfakes, transparency requirements will apply. This means that users must be informed when they interact with an AI and encounter AI-generated content.

Providers of AI systems, such as developers and those who place the systems on the market in the EU, will bear the greatest responsibility under the AI ​​Regulation. Organisations using AI systems will also be responsible for their use by maintaining human oversight and keeping logs of the AI ​​system. Those actors who brand an AI system, make major changes to the system or change how it is used may become liable in the same way as providers of high-risk AI.

Sanctions for violations of the AI ​​Regulation will follow a model similar to the GDPR and can amount to a maximum of €35 million or 7% of the group’s global annual turnover (whichever is higher).

Although the AI ​​Regulation is expected to come into force this summer, it is currently planned to come into force in stages from late autumn 2024 to spring 2027. The rules for high-risk AI will not come into force until spring 2026, but it is recommended to start preparing and investigating how your own organization will be affected by the regulations now.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are two concepts that have been hyped for a while now. There is often talk about what the technology will be used for in the future, but the fact is that there are already a lot of uses. Below we present five ways that you can already use AI and machine learning to develop and streamline your business, but first we will clarify the concepts.

Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Algorithms are terms that are often used in the technology world, but it is important to understand the differences between them.

Algorithms: Algorithms are instructions or rules that a computer can follow to solve a problem or perform a task. They are the foundation of both Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.

Machine Learning: Machine Learning is a branch of AI that deals with teaching computers to perform tasks without being explicitly programmed to do so. Instead, they use algorithms and statistics to find patterns and draw conclusions from data.

Artificial Intelligence: AI goes a step further than Machine Learning. It is about creating computer programs that can think, learn, and make decisions in a way that resembles human intelligence. It includes various techniques such as Machine Learning but can also include logical reasoning and natural language processing.

Benefit from AI in everyday life

Using AI in everyday life doesn’t have to be complicated. With modern AI technology, both large and small companies can utilize their resources more efficiently, expand their customer offering, and gain an edge over their competitors.

Here are some simple tips:

1. Content optimization

Using AI to optimize content for different platforms is a great task for AI. By analyzing data, you can let AI suggest improvements in quality and structure, image selection, and best times to publish to ensure a clear purpose and direction for creating and refining content.

2. Create smarter workflows

AI can also be used to create smarter workflows, enabling companies to optimize their processes in a quest for continuous improvement. When workflows are automated, the chosen software tool follows routines using rule-based algorithms that enable the programming of everyday tasks.

3. Get help analyzing data

AI can help companies process and interpret large amounts of information and complex data.

In many situations, AI can also be used to make quick but also qualified decisions based on available information.

4. Streamline the buying journey

Many customers who visit your company’s website leave without leaving their email address or otherwise showing interest. This could be because they get stuck somewhere on the page, or simply need more information to move forward. AI can analyze user behavior and suggest the optimal time to contact them again (so-called retargeting) and what information they need to move forward in the “buying journey.”

5. Minimize waste and resource wastage

All companies have a lot to gain from reviewing resource use, heating and travel, and this is an excellent task for AI.

Upgraded People AB signs a framework agreement with the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS) for an estimated value of SEK 150 million. The framework agreement extends over four years and includes a broad spectrum of competencies. PTS falls under the Ministry of Finance.

We are both happy and proud to have been selected by the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency. It feels especially important, in today’s geopolitical climate, to deliver services and support a socially critical authority with a shared responsibility for secure and accessible communication for Sweden, says Birgitta Hedegård, CEO of Upgraded People AB.

The new agreement is one of several large public assignments where Upgraded People has been entrusted recently. We have built up extensive experience with public actors and we see a broad commitment among our employees linked to being involved and contributing to ensuring socially critical Swedish infrastructure. This trust assignment represents a mutually binding partnership and we look forward to a stimulating and developing collaboration for all parties, says Birgitta.

Over the past 15 years, Upgraded People AB has established itself as a reliable partner for companies, authorities and organizations that strive to improve their skills supply. We always strive to offer our clients tailor-made solutions. Through a careful matching of qualified consultants with each customer’s unique requirements and needs, we can always deliver both the skills and personality the customer needs. We really look forward to helping PTS with this, concludes Hanna Werner, responsible for the public sector at Upgraded.

Upgraded People AB are experts in the placement of consultants with a specialization in the IT area. Upgraded was started in 2010 and is currently established in 5 locations and has over 1000 consultants engaged in assignments across the Nordic market. Turnover for 2023 amounted to just under 1.1 billion.

Upgraded People AB continues its strong growth journey from 2023 and sales for the first quarter of 2024 amounted to 410.5 million sek, compared to 229.0 million sek for the first quarter of 2023. This represents growth of a whopping 79.3%.

New business and assignments

During the first quarter of the year, we have won several exciting procurements and been awarded many new assignments in both the public and private sectors. If we look at the private sector, it is primarily in the banking, finance and insurance segments; energy and the automotive industry that things are moving the most. In the public sector, we continue to be strengthened with increased trust from government agencies, municipalities and regions. Most recently, we won a framework agreement with PTS (Swedish Post and Telecom Agency) at an estimated value of 150 million SEK. We also see proof that we are doing the right thing in the very high level of loyalty from the existing customer base, where we have been consistently met with positive words and increased trust. We are also noticing the effects of an increasingly strong brand in that during the quarter we have received several exciting inquiries from the market from customers who are reaching out for an initiated collaboration.

We will continue to work with our conviction that the results of our successes are based on our commitment to building valuable partnerships. Through a clear focus on implementation and high delivery power, we strive to create value for both individuals, organizations and society at large. For us, it is not just about providing consultants, but about creating the conditions for growth and digital innovation through good relationships, high competence, creative and imaginative collaborations. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all our outstanding employees, customers and partners who make this fantastic growth journey possible. I look forward to the rest of 2024 with great confidence, says Birgitta Hedegård, CEO of Upgraded People AB.