Belgian government website for state bonds slammed as 'school example of how not to build a website'

Belgium's newly issued state bonds have proven popular, attracting 193 million euros on their debut. The 1-year bond offers a net return of 1.93%, an increase from the 1.75% seen in June, while the 10-year bond yields 2.59%. These bonds allow citizens to lend money to the government for a fixed period, earning interest annually.

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This is a school example of how not to build a website.

However, the user experience on the government's official website for subscribing to these bonds has drawn sharp criticism. Technology experts described the Federal Agency of the Debt's website, "Debtagency.be," as a "school example of how not to build a website." They noted that the site's name itself creates a sense of distrust, making users feel as though they might be on a fake site.

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The website of the Agency for Debt is called "Debtagency.be". That is really not done. You have the feeling that you are on a fake website.

The website's design is also a major point of contention. Experts pointed out its outdated appearance, resembling sites from the mid-1990s, with a peculiar structure and low-quality images. Crucial information, such as the bond's yield, is embedded within a photograph, rendering it difficult to read on mobile devices and completely inaccessible to visually impaired users relying on screen readers.

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The website also looks nothing like most other federal websites. They all have more or less the same style. This one looks like it was made in 1995, with old images and a strange structure.

Furthermore, the site appears to violate government accessibility standards. While users can access a PDF for more details, this adds an extra step and fragments the information. The amateurish presentation, complete with spelling errors, also raises concerns about phishing and security, especially given the government's own warnings about such scams.

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The concrete information about the new state bond is much too low.