Audio Alternatives to Image Verification

Audio Alternatives to Image Verification for Visually Impaired and other computer users





This petition is specifically aimed at yahoo.com and is designed to express the sentiment that yahoo.com should provide audio alternatives to image verification. People who are visually impaired, have dyslexia or other disabilities most likely find the practice of image verification difficult. I as a blind computer user certainly do. Yahoo.com provides e-mail, yahoo groups and many other useful features. But it is not accessible to everyone regarding their persistent use of image verification. Let me explain and provide some background.





Image verification is the process that prompts the user to enter a string of text displayed in an image. This is most commonly seen on sites which provide account sign up and require this process for registration. After entering a user name and password along with other required fields, the user is prompted to enter the string of text displayed in the image to verify that this is not an automated sign up. Websites like yahoo.com and others that provide account sign up and hold other sensitive information most commonly use this process. But this practice is unfair to blind and other computer users, since most sites do not provide an audio link which speaks the string of text.





The purpose of this petition is to let yahoo know that in order to include everyone, they should provide an audio link along with the image that will speak the text string. This will allow the user to input the text into the field and therefore be more independent. Several sites such as:


www.paypal.com and:


www.google.com have already started to implement this process. A good example of this implementation already in progress can be seen at:


www.livejournal.com. This site is a wonderful example that this can be done. By signing this petition you are expressing the opinion that yahoo.com should provide an audio alternative to image verification. I will let you know about the progress of this petition in the weeks to come. Once I have collected signatures, I will send this off to Yahoo Management. Please consider signing and benefiting all visually impaired and other computer users.





Thank you for taking the time to read this petition, and please pass it on.





Sincerely,


Marissa Manzino