AJAX: the legal issues
This guide is based on UK law. It was created in February
2007.
AJAX is short for Asynchronous JavaScript and
XML. It makes web pages more responsive by exchanging small amounts
of data with the server behind the scenes, rather than reloading an
entire page whenever a user makes a change. It can make for a
better user-experience but carries some risks.
Some security experts say that AJAX
forms are at greater risk of exploitation by virus writers
because there are multiple communications between the form and the
web server.
AJAX can also cause web accessibility
problems, particularly for screen reader users. Since AJAX is
increasingly popular in forms used in online shopping, and since
the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 expects services like online
shops to be accessible to and usable by
disabled people, the problem presents a legal risk.
The problem is that, as its name suggests,
AJAX requires a browser that supports JavaScript. Many browsers do
not so a screen reader user would not be made aware of changes in a
form. The solution is to either provide a non-AJAX alternative to a
form or to allow the AJAX application to continue to function if
JavaScript is not supported.
Like the security risk, the problem is not
insurmountable – simply something to be aware of.
