Accountability & responsibility in a digital world | Paul Davis | TEDxStMaryCSSchool

Summary

The speaker shares a personal journey from receiving a computer at age 12 to a 26-year career in tech. He emphasizes the importance of online safety, digital responsibility, and the impact of digital trails and footprints. He urges students to respect technology, as misuse can lead to severe consequences, including criminal charges. The talk concludes with advice on dealing with cyberbullying and the importance of maintaining a positive online reputation for future opportunities.

Takeaways

• 💻 The gift of a computer at a young age sparked the speaker's interest in technology, leading to a lifelong career in IT.
• 🔧 The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning and using technology responsibly, inspired by his mother's values.
• 👨‍👧 The speaker's life changed when he started educating children and parents about online safety, which became a rewarding endeavor.
• 🏫 The speaker believes that parents and educators have a crucial role in guiding children to use technology safely and responsibly.
• 📢 He argues against the idea of 'accidental' cyberbullying, stating that every digital action is intentional and leaves a trace.
• 👮‍♂️ The speaker highlights the legal implications of online actions, including the potential for criminal charges and the involvement of law enforcement.
• 👪 He stresses that devices are owned by parents, not children, and that parents are ultimately responsible for the technology's use.
• 🔗 The speaker explains the concepts of 'digital trails' and 'digital footprints,' illustrating how every online action is recorded.
• 🕵️‍♂️ He warns that digital evidence can be used to track and identify individuals involved in cyberbullying or other online misconduct.
• 📚 The speaker encourages students to consider their reputation and the long-term consequences of their online behavior.
• 🤝 He concludes by urging students to respect their parents and use technology in a way that would make them proud.

Q & A

What was the initial reason the speaker's mother bought him a computer?

The speaker's mother bought him a computer thinking he was going to play games on it.

How did the speaker's early experience with the computer influence his career path?

The speaker started coding immediately after receiving the computer, which led him to explore technology, programming, and circuit boards, eventually leading to his first job in tech at under 20 years old and a 26-year career in information technology.

What event at the speaker's daughter's school prompted a significant change in his life?

The speaker's life turned around when the principal at his daughter's school talked to him about why kids get in trouble using technology, leading him to speak to kids, parents, and various organizations about online safety.

How many people has the speaker reportedly spoken to regarding online safety?

The speaker has spoken to over 25,000 kids and over 1,200 principals, as well as various other organizations including the Ontario provincial police and the Department of National Defense.

What does the speaker believe is the most rewarding aspect of his current work?

The speaker finds education and giving knowledge back to the community, similar to what his mother did for him, the most rewarding aspect of his work.

What is the speaker's stance on the responsibility for children getting in trouble online?

The speaker believes that the responsibility lies with the parents, who are supposed to guide their children in the use of technology.

According to the speaker, what are the two action items involved in cyberbullying?

The two action items involved in cyberbullying are: 1) creating the harmful content by typing or taking a picture, and 2) transmitting the content by posting or sending it to another device.

Why does the speaker emphasize that cyberbullying is not accidental?

The speaker emphasizes that cyberbullying is not accidental because it involves intentional actions: creating and transmitting harmful content, which leaves digital trails.

What does the speaker suggest about the ownership of technology used by children?

The speaker suggests that parents own the technology used by children, as they are the ones who make the financial transactions, sign contracts, and pay the bills.

What is the difference between 'digital trails' and 'digital footprints' according to the speaker?

According to the speaker, 'digital trails' refer to the paths that data takes as it is transmitted from one device to another, while 'digital footprints' are the physical records of data written to a hard drive, memory card, or cloud storage.

What advice does the speaker give to students who experience cyberbullying?

The speaker advises students to not respond to the bully, but to collect evidence such as screenshots and bring it to a trusted adult for help.

How does the speaker connect a person's online activity with their future opportunities?

The speaker connects online activity with future opportunities by explaining that employers can look up a candidate's online presence and judge them based on their digital trails, which can potentially supersede their educational qualifications.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Early Exposure to Technology and Its Impact

The speaker reflects on how receiving a computer at the age of 12 led to a lifelong career in technology. Initially, the mother's intention was for gaming, but it became a tool for the speaker to explore programming and circuit boards. This early start in technology allowed the speaker to secure a job in a tech firm before turning 20. The speaker emphasizes the importance of parental guidance in technology use, drawing from personal experience and advocating for open conversations about online safety with both kids and parents.

05:00

👥 The Consequences of Digital Actions and Cyberbullying

The speaker delves into the concept of digital trails and footprints, explaining how online actions leave permanent records that can be traced and investigated. Using various examples, such as text messages, emails, and social media posts, the speaker illustrates the permanence of digital communication and its potential legal implications. The talk also addresses the issue of cyberbullying, stressing that it is intentional and not accidental, and encourages students to be respectful and accountable for their online behavior.

10:00

🚨 The Legal and Ethical Implications of Online Behavior

This section of the script discusses the serious nature of digital actions, emphasizing that they can lead to legal consequences, especially in cases of cyberbullying. The speaker advises students on how to handle being cyberbullied, urging them to collect evidence and report it to a trusted adult. The speaker also warns about the long-term effects of one's online reputation, which can impact future job prospects, and concludes by reminding students to consider their parents' values and the responsibility that comes with using technology.

Keywords

💡Coding

Coding refers to the process of writing instructions in a programming language to create software or applications. In the video, the speaker's journey into technology began with coding at a young age, which was facilitated by receiving a computer from his mother. This early start in coding allowed the speaker to explore various aspects of technology and eventually led to a career in information technology.

💡Technology

Technology encompasses the tools, systems, and methods used to solve problems and accomplish tasks more efficiently. The speaker's interest in technology was sparked by his initial experience with coding and later expanded to include programming, circuit boards, and other aspects of tech. The video emphasizes the transformative power of technology in the speaker's life and career.

💡Information Technology (IT)

Information Technology (IT) is the application of computers and telecommunications equipment to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data. The speaker has dedicated his professional life to IT, highlighting the field's importance in modern society. The video underscores the speaker's commitment to IT and its role in shaping his career path.

💡Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is the use of electronic communication to bully others, typically by sending messages of an intimidating or threatening nature. The speaker addresses the issue of cyberbullying, emphasizing that it is not accidental but intentional and leaves digital trails that can have serious consequences, including legal repercussions.

💡Digital Trails

Digital trails refer to the electronic footprints left behind by individuals when they engage in online activities. The speaker explains that every action online, such as sending a text message or an email, leaves a trace that can be investigated and traced back to the individual. This concept is central to the video's message about the permanence of online actions and their potential consequences.

💡Accountability

Accountability is the responsibility one has for one's actions, especially when they have consequences for others. The speaker discusses the importance of accountability, particularly in the context of online behavior, where individuals must be aware of the impact of their actions and the fact that they can be held responsible for them.

💡Parental Guidance

Parental guidance involves the oversight and direction provided by parents to their children, especially in matters of safety and appropriate behavior. The speaker argues that parents play a crucial role in guiding children on how to use technology responsibly and safely, emphasizing the need for parents to be involved and aware of their children's online activities.

💡Online Safety

Online safety refers to the protection of oneself and one's information while using the internet. The speaker discusses the importance of being safe online, including the need for education on how to avoid cyberbullying and other online threats. The video serves as a call to action for both children and parents to be vigilant about online safety.

💡Intent

Intent refers to the purpose or willingness behind an action. The speaker clarifies that actions such as cyberbullying are not mistakes or accidents but are intentional, with the individual making a conscious decision to harm others. This concept is used to emphasize the seriousness of online actions and the need for individuals to think before they act.

💡Digital Footprints

Digital footprints are the permanent records of one's online activities, including the content they create and interact with. The speaker differentiates between digital trails, which are the paths of online actions, and digital footprints, which are the lasting records left behind. The video highlights the importance of understanding that online actions can leave lasting marks on one's digital reputation.

💡Reputation

Reputation is the belief or opinion about someone's character or actions, often formed based on past behavior. The speaker warns that the actions individuals take online can build their reputation, which can affect future opportunities, such as employment. The video stresses the importance of maintaining a positive digital reputation to avoid potential negative consequences.

Highlights

A 12-year-old's journey into coding began with a computer gifted by his mother, leading to a lifelong career in technology.

The speaker's first job in tech was at a tech firm just under the age of 20, marking the beginning of a 26-year professional dedication to IT.

A pivotal moment occurred when the speaker was asked to address technology misuse in his daughter's school, shifting his focus to online safety.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of parental guidance in children's use of technology, holding them responsible for their children's online actions.

Over 25,000 kids and 1,200 principals have been spoken to by the speaker, highlighting the scale of his educational outreach on technology safety.

The speaker refutes the idea of accidental cyberbullying, asserting that every online action is intentional and leaves a trace.

The concept of 'digital trails' and 'digital footprints' is introduced to explain the permanence of online actions and their potential legal implications.

Examples of digital trails include text messages, emails, and social media posts, all of which can be traced back to the sender.

The speaker clarifies that the cloud is not virtual but a physical hard drive that stores data, leaving a digital footprint.

The importance of respecting technology and its owners is stressed, as misuse can lead to serious consequences, including legal action.

A personal anecdote about a mobility store's policy on phone ownership highlights the legal and financial responsibilities of parents.

The speaker warns against the misuse of technology, stating that it is not a matter of 'if' but 'when' one will be caught for cyberbullying.

Advice for victims of cyberbullying includes documenting evidence and seeking help from trusted adults.

The impact of one's online reputation on future job prospects is discussed, with digital trails potentially overshadowing education.

The speaker concludes by urging students to consider their parents and act in a way that would make them proud when using technology.

Transcripts

when I was 12 years old my mother

purchased a computer for me thinking

that I was going to play games on it

when she gave it to me she didn't

understand what I was going to do with

it and I started coding right away and

it's because of my mom and the gift that

she gave me that allowed me to in

basically explore

technology programming circuit boards

and it was from that point on after

programming and hanging out with

like-minded individuals that allowed me

to explore my interest even more that I

got my first job when I was just under

20 years old with a tech firm and I

thought this is it my career is going to

be in Tech and for the past 26 years

professionally I've dedicated my life to

information technology and I've always

said it's fun but it was four years ago

at my daughter's school where the

principal talked to me about why kids

get in trouble using

technology that my life turned around

and what I did was I spoke to the kids

in my daughter's school about being safe

online and I also had a conversation

with the principal about speaking to the

parents because I've always said the

kids and for those at St Mary remember

this I don't blame any of you guys for

getting in trouble online I've always

put the responsibility on parents who's

you know they put the technology in your

hand and they're supposed to guide you I

mean that's our responsibility I said so

please let me reach out to these parents

along with the kids and he did one thing

led to another and you just heard the

stats in terms of uh how many kids I've

spoken to over 25,000 parents over 1,200

principles twice at the Ontario

provincial police twice at the

Department of National Defense and what

I found out 4 and 1/2 years ago as I

started speaking is that this is the

most rewarding Time of My Life Education

and giving knowledge back when my mother

gave me I'm now able to give to you and

I've always always followed in the

footsteps of a mom who at the time was a

single mom because my parents had split

up and she gave me all the values to

move forward in life and every day that

I do something I always think about am I

going to make my mom proud because she

gave me the opportunity to where I am

today so having said that at a young age

you have a ton of accountability and

responsibility the responsibility is

yours the accountability is to your

parents I speak to principles all the

time where I hear stories of kids coming

into the office who have participated in

cyber building and have said that was a

mistake I didn't mean to do that it was

an

accident and I look at the principles

and I say those are pathetic excuses

because there's no such thing as

accidental cyber bullying or it was M AK

I can give you a very simple example of

how cyberbullying occurs number one you

have to type in or take a picture to do

the hurt to initiate the pain that's an

action item so if I make an

inappropriate comment I've typed that

out then I have to actually transmit it

meaning I post it or I send it from one

device to another device so the person

sees it two action items don't equal a

mistake or an accident they equal intent

meaning it was intentional I met a

father who said to me I don't know what

my son was thinking when he made that

comment and I looked at him I said I

know what he was thinking he was

thinking about hurting someone because

he had to think about it before he typed

it and then transmit it so I want to put

excuses aside and I want everyone to

step up you are empowered with

technology that's how privileged you are

because you live in the greatest country

in the world where your parents have

worked so hard to empower you with that

technology be respectful because they

own it you know before I came over here

today I stopped off at a mobility store

and I walked in and I said my daughter

wants to buy a phone I want to give it

to her and I asked the lady how old does

she need to be she says 18 I said no I

want her to come in I want her to pick

she says she has to be 18 so students if

I asked you how many of you own your

phones the majority will put up your

hands the reality is you don't your

parents own those devices you see what

happened was when you purchased the

phone was that your parents made the

financial transaction number two they

signed the contract with the telephone

company cuz you can't cuz you're not an

adult number three they pay the monthly

bill now you may have earned your money

to pay for the phone which I think is

responsible and you might actually give

them the money every month to pay for

the bill but it's their name that is on

the contract and makes the financial

transactions all the time if a principal

confiscates a phone hands it over to a

police officer and that police officer

investigates it your name doesn't come

up your parents name comes up so I

always tell kids you love care and

respect your parents think about how use

these Technologies when you go online

because every time you go online you

leave digital Trails of all your actions

now some people say digital Trails

digital Footprints are the same thing I

actually break them down into two let's

talk about digital Trails let me give

you some examples sending a text message

the sending device the receiving device

the servers in between if I send a text

text message that is hateful threatening

bullying or racist I can delete the

message off my device not to get in

trouble but the person who received it

now has a copy on their device if they

report it to law enforcement and they

investigate it they can contact my phone

company their phone company and get

information as to when that I sent the

message and when that message was

received when you go online and you send

an email emails leave so many digital

Trails it's unimaginable how many

servers they hit before they actually

hit the recipient's device let's say I

want to use your teachers as an example

let's say your teachers come to school

and they give you a test and then they

sit behind their computer and they

decide they're going to email 25 friends

and family about a big party they're

having on the weekend well that's a

mistake because the school board will

know when they send the email at what

time from what computer computer to whom

what was the context of that email and

if that computer was in class where the

teacher supposed to be teaching and they

sent it from that computer the school

board will know what about if your

principales come to school and they

decide to surf the web and they decide I

need to do some shopping I'm a principal

I can't leave but I need to go online

and do some shopping so they spend an

hour at walmart.ca to do some shopping

after an hour they come out of the

office with a big smile on their face

cuz they're getting the orderers ship to

their home and they'll think well no one

will know well they're mistaken cuz the

school board will know when they went

online how long they were online and

when they left these are Trails of their

actions every time you post post

something on BlackBerry Messenger kick

Facebook Twitter every example up there

leaves a trail you know that ask website

where you thought it was Anonymous well

for those at same M I busted that myth I

showed them exactly where askfm servers

reside and now how law enforcement have

access to your um IP addresses the

context of what was sent received and

posted I know you guys use this thing

called Yik something y Yik Yak I'm

making fun you know what most people

think well no one will know that's

completely Anonymous look at the legal

section within yikyak you know what you

will find you will find how they will

relinquish information to law

enforcement law enforcement with a

simple subpoena none of these Trails

disappear and they lead to your digital

Footprints let me give you examples of

digital Footprints what you write to

your hard drive is now physically

written what you write to a memory card

a flash drive your smartphone if you're

a console gamer a lot of them have hard

drives it will write information to the

hard drive cloud storage people think

the cloud it's virtual it's out there

the cloud is a physical hard

drive except it gives you easy access to

what you posted up on the web but it's

physically written somewhere on a hard

drive so go back to point number one

it's written there and of course your

Footprints stamped every time you visit

a social networking site why because

it's posted so now let's talk about

digital trails and Footprints you

transmit something from your smartphone

to Facebook you left the trail and and

you've left a footprint you transmit

something from your computer to cloud

storage you've got the stamp the

footprint on your computer you've got

the trail to the cloud storage you've

got another footprint on cloud storage

handheld device to Instagram you post a

simple comment you like a picture you

you've left a trail of what is

permanently online in a digital

footprint and we can go through example

after example after example but I'm here

to tell you you leave both trails and

Footprints every time you go online now

when your teachers and I were growing up

we had a saying a picture's worth a

thousand words but that was all up to

interpretation so if we put the same

picture in front of 10 people their

thousand words would all be different

now a picture is a book a digital book

so what you look at visually when I look

at it as a programmer as a coder I look

at it digitally meaning time day

location aperture setting lighting

settings all kinds of information is

written to a picture so that picture is

of me believe it or not and I'm in bam

but I'm at a Hill Called Sunshine now

the only way you will know by looking at

that picture that I'm at sunshine is by

looking at the map behind me if you look

closely enough because I analyze the

picture you can see in the reflection of

my visor the chairlift that's off to the

side and the chair L chairlift has a

name and if you Google that name you

would see Sunshine but what happens if

you couldn't see the chairlift or you

couldn't see the map well analyzing the

picture using binary code because binary

code is what makes up picture zeros and

ones you would analyze the time day Loc

of where the picture was taken which is

precise because I remember sending that

picture over to my wife and they were

able to decode it so these trails are

real you know how sophisticated pictures

are you know the bad people in this

earth that want to bring harm to all

different countries I won't use their

word and give them acknowledgement they

send messages within images within jpegs

because an image is made up of zeros and

one's binary code they actually embed

messages in certain components of the

pictures and when it pictures received

that person that is intended to receive

the picture is now decoding it and

they're looking at what the message is

and law enforcement have to go through

pictures so think about that from the

National Security level angle and then

think about it when they're

investigating a picture that was

transmitted from one device to another

in case it was an inappropriate picture

I let Google track me give you one more

example about digital Trails I was in

Calgary for two weeks and one day I

decided I'm going to let Google track me

so here's what I did I had Google follow

me from the moment I woke up in my hotel

to every school I went to I went to two

schools that day so I left my hotel I

went to school a after school a I went

to Starbucks after Starbucks I went to

school B after school B before I went

and spoke to the parents of both schools

together I went back to the hotel I took

a nap after that I had a light bite I

went back to the school and then after

that I was invited to a function which

was on the the West End of Calgary after

that I went back to the hotel it tracked

everywhere I was going

precisely so to just finalize it the

trails don't lie so listen when it comes

of cyber bullying students I've always

said it's not a matter of if you're

going to get caught it's a matter of how

and when you will get caught but today

I'm not going to lecture you on cyber

bullying because you love care and

respect each other and that's obviously

the best reason why you would hurt

another person if you happen to go home

this weekend and Bully another person

online digitally from your home on your

computer in your bedroom the next day

when your principes are investigating

what happened they actually have to

address the bully because two students

are involved now principles have three

options number one give the bully a

warning number two suspend the bully

from school number three call the police

if your principal has to call the police

well a suspension can still be issued

but now the police don't care about that

you see they care about criminal law and

they want to see if what you did

violated criminal law and you all know

everyone in this

room you're not a kid anymore you're now

a young offender and so these charges

can be laid against you the day after

you turn 12 years old it's called 12

years plus a day you're criminal

criminally chargeable by law but like I

said earlier you don't have to worry

about that because you love care and

respect each other I just need you to

know that in the back of your head so

what happens if you get saber bullied

I've always told kids every day don't

ever respond to a bully I know it's an

emotional piece move away from it what I

need you to do is I need you to print

out every picture post comment chat

session screenshot get all of that

evidence together and bring it to an

adult someone you trust show them what

has hurt you let the adult in your life

whether it be a teacher a principal a

guidance counselor your parents a police

officer show it to them let them deal

with it we the adults that's our ethical

and moral duty in life is to help guide

and protect you bring it to us say I

need help and let us deal with it let

the bullies get caught let them get

dealt with they've left Trails behind

but I need you to speak out and finally

when you leave school you're going to

leave with two things guaranteed to you

students an education and a reputation

you've spent every year of your life

earning an

education you've also built up a

reputation social media what happens

when you go looking for a job you're

going to submit a resume a resume is

going to have your first name last name

your address your email address your

phone number where you went to school

what jobs you had when an employer looks

that up they have the ability to look

you up online and now judge you based on

your online activity those negative

digital Trails can supersede your

education so you could be the best

qualified for the job but if the trails

say you post inappropriate pictures you

disrespect people you do something that

just goes against what they like as a

candidate they take both documents they

put them together they rip them up you

know that's a violation of your human

rights right you know what the problem

is no one's ever going to know it

happened why because it's happening

online so please when you go online I

want you to do something I want you to

think your parents whether they're here

or not and always think I'm not going to

make them proud if you have that voice

in the back of your head when you use

the technology that they gave you you

will will always always make the right

decisions thank you very much for

listening