Internet Use and Cybersecurity Concerns of Individuals with Visual Impairments

Introduction According to the 2012 National Health Interview Survey, about nine percent (21.5 million) of the adult population in the U.S. had some kind of visual impairment. The American Printing House for the Blind (2012) reported that there were over 500,000 children who were blind in the United States. In addition to the congenitally blind population, the number of people with adventitious blindness, people who have lost their vision later in life, is also significant. For instance, the Blinded Veterans Association (http://www.bva.org) reports that around 7,000 veterans in the United States are vulnerable to lose their vision and become blind or visually impaired each year in addition to about 165,000 who are already blind or visually impaired. According to the 2012 Disability Status Report, about 24.6 % of people who are blind or visually impaired are employed full-time (Erickson, Lee, & von Schrader, 2014). Given the fact that most corporations conduct their daily business affairs online through computers and the Internet, it is vital to educate people who are visually impaired in the of use computers at home and/or work. The Internet and assistive technology can help people with disabilities maximize their potential and achieve personal, professional, and educational objectives (Brady, Morris, Zhong, White, & Bigham, 2013; Hersh, & Johnson, 2010). Basically, these technologies allow them to have access to information, work independently, execute errands such as shopping, participate in education and training, and communicate and socialize with others (Ari & Inan, 2010; Asuncion et al., 2012; Barile, Fichten, & Asuncion, 2012; Koustriava & Papadopoulos, 2014; Shuster, 2002). There are various challenges that Internet users who are visually impaired experience when surfing the Web, including cybersecurity concerns and accessibility issues (Domingo, 2012; Olalere & Lazar, 2011; Vigo & Brajnik, 2011). Even though a great number of preventative measures have been taken to make technologies, and in particular the Internet, more accessible, users with visual impairments still may have safety concerns when navigating the Internet. It is apparent that fear of cyber-attacks and exposure of sensitive information as well as limited accessibility of the Internet and its features hinder the benefit that users with visual impairments may enjoy. Cyber-attacks are the primary concern, threatening the U.S. infrastructure, economy, and civilian's safety. The Internet Security Threat Report published by Symantec Inc. (2014) shows an overall 91% increase in targeted attacks and 62% increase in the number of breaches in 2013. It is alarmingly a major concern that over 552 million identities were exposed and about 38% of mobile users have experienced mobile cybercrime in the same year. The estimation of the annual cost of cybercrime to the global economy is more than $400 billion (McAfee, Inc., 2014). The increasing number of cyber-crime incidents occurring in cyber-space raises the alarm and need for better protection and guards for individuals and, in particular, those with visual impairments. Internet use by individuals who are visually impaired Individuals with a disability could utilize various Internet services for banking, shopping, training, and social networking. Previous studies indicated that Internet use for communication (e.g., email) was the most commonly observed activity among individuals with visual impairments (Kaye, 2000). Surfing on the Internet for fun, listening to music, and social media involvement were among the other most frequently identified Internet activities (Kaye, 2000; Kelly & Wolffe, 2012). Although it was not common, the use of the Internet for banking, shopping, and educational purposes was also found to be substantial (Ari & Inan, 2010; Kaye, 2000). However, findings from previous studies suggest that people with visual impairments tend to use computers and the Internet at rates below the average for the general population, indicating that a major digital divide still exists for users who are visually impaired (Kelly & Smith, 2008). …

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