Herdict.org - Web Accessibility Under Scrutiny

We all come across a site that we can’t access when we least expect it, and when we most need to inform ourselves. This service (presented by the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University) is meant to give us all a good overview of current web accessibility conditions the world over.

Its name comes from “herd” and “verdict” blended together – that is, the verdict of those who make up the flock of internauts across the globe, and who experience first-hand any communication breakdown.

The site revolves around a Google map that showcases the sites that have been reported inaccessible as of late. This lets you quickly realize if you are the only who is having trouble trying to access a site, or if people in other parts of the world have stumbled upon the very same block.

It is interesting to mention that a bookmarklet is also available. If you procure it, you will be able to access these reports without having to open a separate browser or tab. All in all, a compelling initiative that can turn out to be a real timesaver.

“Herdict is a project of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Herdict is a portmanteau of 'herd' and 'verdict' and seeks to show the verdict of the users (the herd). Herdict Web seeks to gain insight into what users around the world are experiencing in terms of web accessibility; or in other words, determine the herdict. The brainchild of Professor Jonathan Zittrain, Herdict Web is a natural progression from the OpenNet Initiative. Whereas OpenNet views Internet filtering through an academic lens, Herdict uses crowdsourcing to learn about and present a real time view of the experiences of users around the globe.”

It will let you inform yourself about web accessibility issues on the spot, and the featured bookmarklet just makes the service twice as flexible

How many sites are usually reported as down per day?