Post 157: "The Female Point of View" on Stupid Tech

So, I was watching Shark Tank and there was an item that came up called Splikity. Basically, how it worked was that you put all your passwords into the app and then (as far as I can tell) you use the app as a browser and it automatically logs you in. Or, it communicates with the browser app you use, not 100% sure how it works really.

Either way, there were legitimate concerns about the app for security reasons that came up on the show. Like, doesn't this increase the risk of hacking? (Questions that weren't asked: who has access to the information, if it saves the info does that mean developers have access to it, if it is using the industry standard (aka the most common type that will be used and that hackers will be looking at beating) are you looking at working on improving security either by looking for better security options or having specially designed security for the app, how are you competing with the DOZENS of apps that have similar functions that are more secure, etc.)

Anyway, two of the Sharks basically shut them down when Lori chimed in with the "female point of view". That "having an app that is user-friendly would make a woman feel more comfortable" because they're "not as technological".

Now I had a problem with that for a variety of reasons, one being that I thought the app was totally stupid. And I agreed with one of the other Sharks that security is a non-gender issue. If the app isn't secure, users male and female won't be comfortable with it.

The second issue I had is the idea that it required a woman's perspective because of the ease of use. It wasn't the "female perspective" it was the "over 30 and not tech savvy" perspective. I don't want all my passwords to be saved automatically, ESPECIALLY my banking passwords. Do you know who I picture using this product? My mother. My father. My friends' parents. Lots of whom don't lock their phone or use easy codes (ex. 7890) so they don't forget. Which means if any one gets access to their phone, it will be even easier to get their personal information.

That is not secure. That does not even really require a hacker. It is like when people talk about someone hacking into their Facebook when what actually happened is they didn't log out!

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) subjects, in general, are not often associated with women. Women and girls have even pushed away from them through subtle jabs and social expectations. My father is a Mechanical Engineering professor and I've seen first hand how few female students there are compared to male students, how few female professors in these fields there are, and how people react to women when they are on tours.

I think what annoyed me was the fact that it was a woman who was making that comment. She could have said it was her perspective or a less tech-savvy person's perspective, it didn't need to be the "female point of view".