In its zest for innovation, the digital maker community, like new technology communities of the past, often does not consider its products and services' full impact. Makers have adopted agile methodologies that measure product readiness by a narrow set of criteria. And global markets reward digital-first businesses the attract a large customer base in a short time. In this culture and environment, sometimes products and services are launched without considering how they will be governed and whether they are safe for widespread use by consumers or society.

In this talk, Lisa Welchman defines and discusses the role of digital safety. She references and draws comparisons to historical consumer safety practices-- those that have been self-imposed by makers and those imposed by governments and society. She will talk about the structure and nature of development teams and how to ensure that founders and executives play their part in ensuring the products they develop and promote are fit for use and safe. She will conclude by examining the impact and efficacy of applying safety checks during each digital product development process phase.