[real-eyes] Re: Fw: MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the Blind,Puts Up "No Blind People Allowed" Sign

"Fettgather, Jim" <jfettgather@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Thu, 3 May 2007 10:34:20 -0500

I might point out that another popular social networking site, Facebook,
has provided me with individualized assistance with registering.  I had
no specific interest in establishing a profile, but since the popularity
of the site has increased, I wanted to find out how receptive the site
would be in providing assistance.  I had a similar experience with a
fabulous site, myway.com, in easily and quickly completing a
registration process.

However, not all companies are responsive.  It took Apple two years to
make Itunes reasonably accessible,  and the list of companies unwilling
to provide accessibility alternatives is significant.  Really, this
situation must be dealt with on a case by case basis.

=20

-----Original Message-----
From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Reginald George
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:14 AM
To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [real-eyes] Re: Fw: MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the
Blind,Puts Up "No Blind People Allowed" Sign

Oh Kim,

On this one issue you are so wrong.  Many sites have changed their
captia systems to accommodate us including Google, EBay, Paypal,
Microsoft, Yahoo, and others.  And there is no easy manufacturing
solution for this problem.=20
Without laws like section 508 they would make things so inaccessible
that no one could access anything.  It must be a combination of the
screen reader manufacturers adopting new technologies, voluntary
cooperation, and legislation and even law sewts when necessary to force
change.  All these remedies have their place in creating an accessible
society of universal design principals that includes everyone.  I
wouldn't take you on directly in the list like this but, you put it out
here so you made yourself wide open for this discussion.

Reg
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kimberly A. Morrow" <morrowka@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: May 03, 2007 7:26 AM
Subject: [real-eyes] Re: Fw: MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the
Blind,Puts Up "No Blind People Allowed" Sign

It's like this: None of those sites are going to change to accommodate =
=3D
us. It's up to those manufacturing products for the blind to figure it =
=3D
out.=3D20

Kim

-----Original Message-----
From: real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:real-eyes-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of Terrie Arnold
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 6:38 AM
To: real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [real-eyes] Fw: MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the Blind,Puts Up
"No Blind People Allowed" Sign

----- Original Message -----=3D20
From: "BlindNews Mailing List" <blindnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <BlindNews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 5:12 AM
Subject: MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the Blind,Puts Up "No Blind =3D
People=3D20 Allowed" Sign

> Blind Access Journal
> Wednesday, May 02, 2007
>
> MySpace Ignores and Locks Out the Blind, Puts Up "No Blind People =3D
Allowed"=3D20
> Sign
>
> By Darrell Shandrow
>
> There are a number of blind and visually impaired people who have =3D
written=3D20
> to me privately and to various e-mail discussion groups concerning the

> =3D

> current accessibility challenges with the popular MySpace blogging and

> =3D

> social networking web site.
>
> LINK:
> http://www.myspace.com/
>
> The most critical and immediate issue is a CAPTCHA (visual =3D
verification)=3D20
> appearing as part of the signup process. This CAPTCHA does not feature

> =3D

> audio or any other method of gaining access if you are not able to see

> =3D
the=3D20
> characters you must enter into the edit box in order to register. Many

> =3D

> blind and visually impaired people, including myself, have=20
> contacted=3D20 MySpace over the past year. All such attempts at =
contact=20
> have been=3D20 completely ignored.
>
> It is clear that the staff of MySpace do not see fit to show even an =
=3D
ounce=3D20
> of professional courtesy toward blind and visually impaired people=20
> by=3D20 responding to media queries and other attempts at contact. We=20
> must all =3D
put=3D20
> MySpace on notice that CAPTCHA (visual verification) without audio or=20
> =3D
some=3D20
> other alternative way for blind people to complete the signup=20
> process=3D20 locks out the blind and visually impaired in a manner=20
> similar to the =3D
"no=3D20
> blacks allowed" signs during the era of segregation. While it may=20
> be=3D20 clearly understood that this visual only CAPTCHA was initially =

> put in=3D20 place out of ignorance of the accessibility issue, =
continued

> disregard =3D
of=3D20
> our needs despite our goodfaith attempts at contact represents clear =
=3D
and=3D20
> deliberate discrimination against us.
>
> It is certainly not too late for the MySpace people to make the =3D
conscious=3D20
> decision to simply do the right thing in this case. Implement an audio

> =3D

> playback of the CAPTCHA and supply an e-mail address or other=20
> contact=3D20 information where people with disabilities may receive=20
> human =3D
assistance=3D20
> when it does not work as expected, the user happens to be deaf-blind,=20
> =3D
etc.=3D20
> I urge all of you whom have not already done so to contact MySpace=20
> to=3D20 register your accessibility concerns and ask the company to do =

> the =3D
right=3D20
> thing.
>
> LINK:
> http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=3D3Dmisc.contact
>
> posted by Darrell at 8:25 AM
>
>
> =3D
http://www.blindaccessjournal.com/2007/05/myspace-ignores-and-locks-out-
b=3D
lind.html
>
> --
> BlindNews mailing list
>
> To contact a list moderator about a problem or to make a request, send

> =3D
a=3D20
> message to BlindNews-Owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> The BlindNews list is archived at: http://GeoffAndWen.com/blind/
>
> To address a message to all members of the list, send mail to:=3D20=20
> BlindNews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Access your subscription info at:=3D20
> =3D
http://blindprogramming.com/mailman/listinfo/blindnews_blindprogramming.
c=3D
om
>
> To unsubscribe via e-mail: send a message to=3D20=20
> BlindNews-Request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word unsubscribe in =
=3D
either=3D20
> the subject or body of the message
>
>
> --=3D20
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.2/784 - Release Date: =3D
5/1/2007=3D20
> 2:57 PM
>
>=3D20

To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options,
=3D go to www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes

To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options,
go to www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes

To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options,
go to www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes

To subscribe or to leave the list, or to set other subscription options, go to 
www.freelists.org/list/real-eyes

Other related posts: