Glossary

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Ad Blocker(also: Adblocker, Content Blocker)

A browser extension or built-in feature that prevents advertisements, trackers, and other unwanted content from loading on web pages, typically by matching requests against blocklists such as EasyList or EasyPrivacy. Ad blockers can substantially improve accessibility by…

Adaptive Assistive Technology(also: AAT, Adaptive AT)

Assistive technology that monitors a user's current and past performance and automatically adjusts its functionality to match their changing needs. Unlike static assistive technologies with fixed settings, adaptive systems continuously observe user behavior — such as typing…

Affirmative Consent(also: Yes Means Yes)

A consent model that requires explicit, active agreement to an action - typically framed as 'yes means yes' rather than the absence of refusal. Originating in sexual-violence prevention and adopted in HCI work on consent technology, affirmative consent emphasises that silence,…

Ambient Audio(also: Ambient Sound, Environmental Audio, Background Audio)

The background sound of an environment — voices, traffic, water, wind, music, birdsong — captured incidentally rather than as the main focus of a recording. In accessible photography and audiophotography tools, ambient audio is often recorded automatically in the seconds leading…

Anonymization(also: Anonymity, Anonymous Communication)

The process of concealing a person's identity when they create or share content, enabling participation in discussions about sensitive, personal, or controversial topics without fear of identification or reprisal. While anonymization is straightforward for users of written…

Assessment Descriptor(also: Visual Attribute Descriptor)

Brief visual attributes of objects — such as color, size, dimensions, and distance from the user — provided alongside obfuscated or spotlighted content to help users verify whether privacy techniques are working correctly. Research with blind participants has shown that common…

Assistive use exception(also: Assistive use legal exception, Assistive purpose exception)

A proposed legal framework that would permit the use of always-on sensing technologies (such as wearable cameras or microphones) for assistive purposes in contexts where recording is otherwise prohibited, analogous to how service animals are allowed in no-pet spaces under the…

Aural Eavesdropping(also: Audio Eavesdropping, Auditory Shoulder Surfing)

A security attack in which an unauthorized person overhears sensitive information such as passwords, PINs, or personal data being spoken aloud. This is a particular concern for people who are blind or have low vision because screen readers announce all on-screen content audibly,…

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