I tend to have lots of unusual conversations with people, and I often get asked interesting questions. I think this happens for three reasons.
1) No topic is taboo with me, so folks tend to feel comfortable asking me questions about anything and everything.
2) Folks somehow get the perhaps misguided impression that I know lots of things.
3) I’m fairly good at breaking information down for people.
With that said, let me tell you about a recent conversation I had over lunch. Consider this the inaugural issue of “Breakin’ It Down with Butchy.”
During lunch, ‘Abby’, who is a bit older than I am, started asking me questions about social media and networking. Specifically, she had questions about Twitter, tweets, and hashtags. I explained to the best of my ability, given that I’m actually not a huge fan of Twitter and rarely use my Twitter account.
“Ok,” she said, “That makes sense. But now I have another question for you.”
I waited for her question, anticipating another technology thread.
Abby continued, “I keep reading about this criminal trial, and the newspapers keep using the same phrase about another crime the alleged perpetrator committed. They keep stating that he ‘digitally penetrated’ a baby in a diaper.”
At first, I thought she was commenting on the horror that someone would do such a thing to an infant, but then I realized she was interpreting ‘digitally’ as technology-related.
“Abby,” I began softly. “That just means he……fingered a baby.”
“Oh my God!” Abby exclaimed. “I kept seeing digitally and never connected it to digits. I had no idea what he might have done.”
So, let’s review that break down --
Digital penetration is:
· The act of inserting a finger (or toe) into something or someone
Digital penetration sounds like but is not:
· Sticking your iPod into something or someone
· Violating someone with a webcam
· Forcing a baby to use technology against his or her will
· Full-body scans at the airport
 |
| Digital penetration? |
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