[community] Cryptocurrency and Accessibility (!)

[Rylan Vroom]

Good morning, you ask many good questions here. First of all, automated banking are at least someone accessible in North America. They come with screen reading, large print, and larger button capabilities, at least those of the five big banks in Canada and many of the big banks in the US.

Now, regarding crypto currency‘s, one of the big things to consider is the software that manages the block chain. I can tell you that from Aquinas perspective, the main bitcoin network software has many accessibility issues. Therefore, it is difficult to make a log transactions using the software. Fortunately though, there are other third-party software to fill this gap. I do not have issues using bitcoin myself.
I think you’re absolutely right, this system would create many barriers for people of different abilities. One of which is the wallet it’s self. How would somebody with cognitive disabilities remember a passphrase?

 that from a money point ofview though, transitioning to a digital currency like will only increase accessibility. The user still gets the anonymity of cash, but with the Accessibility of their bitcoin wallet of choice. Therefore, the lack in braille on cash becomes less of an issue.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 8, 2017, at 3:16 PM, Feriyal Hallajarani <fh12li at student.ocadu.ca> wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm recently very intrigued by the idea of Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency
> Technologies. Although the system itself is really young (It was invented
> in 2009, by an unknown person/group of people named "Satoshi
> Nakamoto".) and has a long way to go, but it has already attracted lots of
> attentions. People no more look at this idea as a financial technology, but
> more as a cultural and political shift in the society.
> 
> I'm sure so many of you heard that Bitcoin is (or could be) the future of
> money. I personally think of all the positive changes that this technology
> can make in order to build an inclusive society. Lets make a list of all
> the possible barriers that people with different abilities might face
> during their day to day use of money:
> 
>   - The physical money itself is not accessible at all, some countries
>   still don't have braille fonts on the money.
>   - Banks and ATM machines are not accessible for people with
>   disabilities.
>   - When you go to another country, you need to learn their currency and
>   do all the math to know the prices. It causes issues for people with
>   cognitive disabilities.
> 
> And as you know the list can continue with more problems that exist in our
> current financial systems.
> 
> Now getting back to bitcoin, considering that the transactions take place
> between users in different geographical locations directly, through their
> "Digital Wallets" and recorded in the "Blockchain", the development of this
> system can fix lots of the mentioned accessibility problems in our list.
> And not to forget, I find that Bitcoin can save the planet and our last
> drops of the natural resources too, as the whole system is digital.
> 
> That's why I would love to know your thoughts about Crypotocurrency systems
> and accessibility? I would also appreciate if you can share with me any
> article you've read related to this topic.
> 
> Here is a link if you're more interested to know about bitcoin,
> written by Jameson
> Lopp, he is a software engineer at BitGo, creator of statoshi.info and
> founder of bitcoinsig.com. :
> https://www.coindesk.com/nobody-understands-bitcoin-thats-ok/
> 
> Thanks and best regards,
> 
> *Feriyal Hallajarani *| Sr. QA Analyst for Accessibility  | CIBC Business &
> Corporate Banking Technology
> 55 Yonge St., 12th Floor , Toronto, ON | Tel: (416) 594-8331
> Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/feriyalharani
> Feriyal.Hallajarani at cibc.com
> Feriyal.Hallajarani at nttdata.com
> feriyal.hallaj at gmail.com
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