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by rahuldottech 2314 days ago
Yes.

> Yikes, please don't do or encourage using these in public - there are many accessibility devices (hearing aids, cochlear implants, etc.) which depend on MEMS microphones to function.

> You could inadvertently make the world much worse for people who already have a difficult time of things. Imagine carting a cellular and WiFi and bluetooth jammer around outside of a Faraday cage - it's insanely irresponsible and inconsiderate.

From the top comment here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22339548
2 comments
nonbirithm 2314 days ago
It would be a loss if due to a critical need to protect privacy we end up inadvertently harming a group of people that are already at a disadvantage. I once knew a hearing-disabled person and the hardship it brought them affected nearly every interaction with them I had. For me that trade-off is not worth it.

If the best channel to help the deaf listen clearly is also the best one for letting eavesdroppers listen clearly, then this is a problem best not handled with such a heavy handed solution - possibly not even a technological solution at all.

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inetknght 2313 days ago
> It would be a loss if due to a critical need to protect privacy we end up inadvertently harming a group of people that are already at a disadvantage. I once knew a hearing-disabled person and the hardship it brought them affected nearly every interaction with them I had. For me that trade-off is not worth it.

We already do this by making so many things practically require internet access but then also not making things easily accessible to eg screen readers or text mode browsers

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vages 2313 days ago
Norway, where I live, has enacted laws banning inaccessible websites (with the exception of websites made by individuals). https://medium.com/confrere/its-illegal-to-have-an-inaccessi...

The law has been well-received both by the public and by businesses, with very few actual fines being issued, but many bad pages have been soft-forced into improvement. So it's actually possible, but will probably be much harder in the US, in which business, government and taxpayers/customers seem less aligned.

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justinjlynn 2313 days ago
Thank you for quoting and linking to my comment here.
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