What is your primary role in the Digital Tattoo project?
I’m the student coordinator for the Digital Tattoo project. I manage our blog and social media accounts, write articles and tutorials, and work with the team to put on workshops for UBC and UofT classes, and the broader community.
When did you start working with the Digital Tattoo team?
I started with Digital Tattoo in May 2022.
How did you get involved in Digital Tattoo?
I was looking through the worklearn summer positions, and this role jumped out at me. While I’m currently a philosophy major, subjects such as data privacy, technology regulation, and digital literacy have always interested me. I’m also interested in the intersection of law technology, regulating big. This project seemed like a perfect way to explore these ideas while helping others learn about their digital rights and online identity.
Why do you believe Digital Tattoo is an important initiative?
Technology is ever-present in our lives, but for something that we interact with so often we usually don’t think deeply about our usage. When we read about technology in the news, the narrative is often “phone bad. computer bad.” This isn’t very helpful when part of our lives must be online. I think Digital Tattoo is important because it offers constructive, actionable ways for you to mediate your online usage and identity while recognising it’s now an integral part of our world.
What do you hope that readers will get out of Digital Tattoo?
I hope that this project provokes readers to think more about their online presence, and helps to give them the tools to have more control over their digital identity and privacy online—in a way that’s tailored to their needs.
What’s one thing you can’t recommend enough?
In terms of being a person online, I would recommend being your own advocate. It’s understandable when people give up on trying to mitigate the negative impacts of having an online presence. It can seem daunting — it can feel like understanding your digital presence is like climbing Everest. However, what we’re exposed to online has a large impact on our thoughts, feelings, and lives. Being conscientious of this impact is important, and being your own advocate is essential. Even small steps can make a big difference over time.
What is your favourite way to relax?
I relax by creating in the kitchen — whether I’m cooking dinner for myself, or baking something with a friend. If I’m cooking alone, I like to listen to podcasts. My favourite right now is “Your Undivided Attention” — recommended to me by Britt Dzioba, the former student coordinator for Digital Tattoo!
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