Friends,
I am honored to share with you that I have been asked to
speak at this year’s App Summit Conference at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas on
May 21. The App Summit is an annual, international conference focusing on
issues relevant and related to the future of multi-platform apps for consumer
and enterprise. It is held during and with the CITA 2013, which is one of the
biggest mobile events in the world. I have been invited to speak on the
specific topic of “Apps For A Global Good,” which I must say is right up my
alley!
I have always been a firm believer in apps being used for a
global good. I started Text Kills in 2010 in the hopes of addressing the
growing problems of texting while driving (TWD) and cyberbullying, which have
claimed far too many young lives. Thousands of people die every year as a
result of TWD related accidents alone, and recent statistics have shown that
cyberbullying is just as harmful (and perhaps even more harmful) than physical
bullying. During my travels with the outreach
organization (including two cross-country tours), my belief that
technology can be used to promote safety and increase the greater good has only
grown. I believe that the principal aim of technology should be to increase the
quality of life for the world at large, and that the unintended negative
consequences of technology (such as TWD and cyberbullying) can be thwarted by
positive safety technologies.
I remember when my daughter first asked me to sign her
driver’s permit at the age of fifteen. Like most children these days, she
learned to use a Smartphone long before she learned to drive a car, and was a
self-proclaimed “texting addict.” While I was happy to see my daughter reach
the age where she could take on the responsibility of driving, I was hesitant
to sign the permit because I was worried that she might be tempted to text
behind the wheel and risk getting into an accident. It occurred to me that it
would be great if there was a way for me, as a parent, to use technology to
prevent my daughter from texting while driving. This is why I developed Drive
Reply, which was one of the first Smartphone technologies that addressed the
national problem of TWD. This opened up Pandora ’s Box for me, as I continued
to think of new answers to the question, “How can I develop technologies that
will help make people safer and make the world a better place?”
My passion for developing such technologies hasn’t let up
since then. Trick Or Tracker, Tell My Geo, Latchkey Kid, Guards Up!, Predator
Preventer, and Word Bully all further the goal of promoting safety through
cutting edge technology. The media reception and public outpouring of support
for these applications has been overwhelming. It means the world to me when a
parent tells me that one of our applications helps them feel a little more at
ease about their child’s wellbeing, or when teenagers take the pledge to not
text and drive by signing the Text Kills bus. And of course, one of my fondest
memories is Trick Or Tracker being featured on Saturday Night Live. I feel extremely
fortunate for all of the recognition I have received for what I believe is my
true calling.
Whenever I get asked to do something like present at the App
Summit, it puts things into perspective for me and reminds me that what I am
doing is important. It is my opinion that app technologies can serve the global
good even if they’re not specifically safety-oriented. For example, Monster
Offers seeks to create a better Daily Deals experience for both consumers and
businesses alike, saving time and money all around and contributing to a
healthy economy and, as a result, a better world.
I can’t wait to share
with the conference my vision for the future of this technology space. I have a
lot of ideas for ways in which we can improve the industry and reposition
ourselves to work towards the common goal of creating “apps for a global good.” It is a true honor to be amongst the likes of Chetan Sharma (President, Chetan Sharma Consulting), Tom Anderson (Manager Developer Evengelism Blackberry), and Chris Shaw (Worldwide Industry Lead For Smarter Commerce, IBM). And of course,
I hope to see some of you there!
Wayne
