What is Herdict Web?
Herdict Web is the very first tool that uses crowdsourcing to gain insight into what users around the world are experiencing in terms of Web accessibility. Herdict Web offers a Firefox and Internet Explorer add-on as well as a Web-based platform for users to report instances of accessibility and inaccessibility. From these crowdsourced reports, users can gain insight into what others around the world are experiencing [in terms of accessibility.]
How did Herdict come about?
Herdict - a portmanteau of "herd" and "verdict" came about as a project of Harvard University's Berkman Center for the Internet and Society and the OpenNet Initiative (ONI). ONI's mission is to identify and document Internet filtering and surveillance, and to promote and inform wider public dialogs about such practices. While ONI seeks to test a wide variety of sites in a wide variety of countries, its methods mean that it can only provide a small glimpse into inaccessibility around the world. Herdict Web, on the other hand, uses crowdsourcing, meaning that the possibilities for results are endless!
What's with the sheep?
To many, the sheep is considered to be an unintelligent species content to simply run with the flock. On the contrary, sheep tend not to follow the herd when no natural predator is present. While considering web inaccessibility and online censorship as a predator might be a bit farfetched, when faced with it, it makes sense to join the herd. And the more folks who do so, the better the picture we are able to paint of the network. For example, if you're an Internet user in Morocco and you find that YouTube is blocked, you will probably want to know if others are having the same problem. With Herdict, you can see in real time - if others are reporting the same phenomenon, giving you a better sense of possible reasons of why the site is inaccessible. In other words, Herdict presents your verdict, allowing you, the user, to take control of the process and try to determine what's going on.
Why should I use Herdict Web?
There are myriad reasons a user might want to try Herdict Web. If you come across a web site that appears to be inaccessible, you can check Herdict Web's database to determine if other users in your country or region are experiencing the same issue. You can also report that site to help other users. By reporting instances of inaccessibility to Herdict Web, you are helping to build a database of knowledge for users all over the world.
How can I submit reports using Herdict Web?
You can report specific sites as accessible or inaccessible as you browse by downloading the Firefox or Internet Explorer add-on. Alternately, you can test websites that have been reported by other users around the world by visiting the participate section of Herdict Web.
What information does Herdict Web provide?
Herdict Web allows you to see which sites are being reported inaccessible or accessible, where the reports are occurring, and over what period of time. Ultimately, Herdict Web will provide a real-time picture of web accessibility all over the world.
What does an inaccessible report mean?
It means that for whatever reason - technological failure, intentional censorship, or other - you were not able to access a desired Website. If you are trying to visit a site, and the site does not appear as you would expect it to, it should be reported as inaccessible - for example, if you are attempting to view a specific YouTube video and there is a notice that the video has been removed, or if you are visiting the page of a television show from another country and are unable to view the video due to geofiltering.
An inaccessible site does not always imply censorship.
What does an accessible report mean?
It means that you successfully reached a certain site. This helps us determine whether a given inaccessible report is a fluke or a sign of a much bigger problem. If only a handful of people report a site as inaccessible, and the vast majority reports it as accessible, then probably the problem is isolated to the individuals, not widespread within the network. On the other hand, if only a few people report the site as accessible and many others report it as inaccessible, it may well be a sign of some more systematic problem.
When should I submit a site as inaccessible?
As soon as you find the site inaccessible. This is the best way to keep our information current.
I can access X site, but certain content is not available. Should I report that site as inaccessible or accessible?
Some sites, such as those of television stations, only make certain material available to people in their region or country. If you are able to access a site, but a specific URL (such as that which contains an inaccessible video) is not accessible, you should report that page as inaccessible. Leaving a comment that explains why the site is inaccessible is very helpful to other users.
What information does Herdict Web Collect?
In order to get an accurate picture of censorship around the world, Herdict Web will collect the information you provide when you submit a report (URL, ISP, country, location, category of the site, comments), your IP address, and your browser version. No personally identifiable information will be made publicly available, and we will never sell this information to another organization.
How can I get access to the data?
You can visit our website here to see the information we collect in several different ways. You can see which sites are reported inaccessible most often; you can see how many sites are being reported inaccessible in each country; you can even track reports of a site's inaccessibility over time.
Where is the report about a porn site I submitted ?
Because the reporter tool lists the sites most frequently found inaccessible, we run a high risk of turning the tool into a list of porn sites. Because we want all people to feel comfortable using the reporter tool, we intentionally exclude porn sites from the list. You can still report a porn site as inaccessible; it just won't make it to the participate lists and the reporter tool.
I reached a site in the Herdict Reporter that was blocked by Google SafeSearch. Why does Herdict Web use Google SafeSearch?
Our goal is to make Herdict Web usable by a variety of people, therefore we utilize Google SafeSearch on our web-based Reporter in order to ensure that adult content does not appear on your screen when using Herdict.
Will Herdict protect my private information?
Herdict Web will never release any information that is personally identifiable, nor will we ever sell the information you report to a company. You can read the Berkman Center's privacy policy here.
Is it legal for me to use Herdict?
Rules vary by country, but we know of no nation where it is illegal for you to report information about sites you cannot access.
How is the Herdict Web different from the Open Net Initiative?
The OpenNet Initiative is a collaborative partnership of four leading academic institutions: the Citizen Lab at the Munk Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto; Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University; the Advanced Network Research Group at the Cambridge Security Programme, University of Cambridge; and the Oxford Internet Institute, Oxford University. While the OpenNet Initiative (ONI) focuses on systematic testing using a small group of staff and volunteers, Herdict Web utilizes crowdsourcing to gather information on a vast number of web sites from potentially any country.
Who runs Herdict?
Herdict is an initiative of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. Its principal investigator is Professor Jonathan Zittrain. You can read Professor Zittrain's blog here.
What is this I hear about Herdict PC?
Herdict PC keeps your computer virus-free by tracking your PC's performance, then comparing it to the performance of similar PC's on the Internet. Using this information, Herdict PC helps you predict whether or not your computer is infected with badware, malware, or bots. You can read more about Herdict PC in Chapter 7 of Jonathan Zittrain's book, The Future of the Internet and How to Stop it.
