A blind user has few choices for their digital independence; a sighted person can explore dozens of Linux distros or cheap smartphones, while blind and visually impaired mostly rely on commercial tech with accessibility on board or external softwares, but there is no ethical reason why most proprietary operating systems are accessible: American Disability Act (ADA) and federal USA laws for universities have made accessibility mandatory through the years but until when?
While Android faces growing restrictions and complex de-googling processes, iOS remains the most usable and accessible mobile platform for the visually impaired. Yet, even this “gold standard” is no longer a certainty, as on-board accessibility features become less stable and increasingly dependent on unpredictable, cloud-based corporate ecosystems. Relying on closed software means accepting that your autonomy can be limited or altered overnight by a single update or even political decision.
True, sustainable independence cannot be built on proprietary quicksand or AI fast accessibility illusion; that’s temporary. It must rely on open, decentralized standards like RSS and Markdown, alongside robust local FOSS tools like the NVDA screen reader on Windows – at least until we’re allowed to install our own software there.
Fediverse and open web are the key, accessibility and ethics should be built by community for community, not counting on a State or a corporation who thinks of us.
This talk is a direct reality check for the free software community. We need to bridge the gap between blind users and open-source developers, moving past toxic polarization, guilt-tripping, or elitist “fix it yourself” mentalities. Not every blind user is a developer, but every blind user deserves access. This session calls for blind and sighted tech enthusiasts to sit at the same table and co-design a truly open future, ensuring that digital freedom is built on stable, accessible foundations for everyone.
