Understanding the Impact of Dyslexia on Online Privacy and Security

Abstract

Dyslexia is a cognitive disability that affects a significant number of the population globally. Incipient research has shown that people with dyslexia experience challenges interacting with systems and security mechanisms that require reading, memory and writing (e.g. passwords). This paper presents an analysis of the challenges that people with dyslexia face when interacting with online systems and the inherent impact on their online security and privacy. People with dyslexia from Ireland and Saudi Arabia were interviewed in this purpose. The findings indicated that dyslexics are at a high risk of having their online security and privacy compromised and that they are struggling with various security and privacy mechanisms due to their condition. The paper concludes that there is a need to further the research in this area of accessible cybersecurity.