Balancing Kindness and Privacy: Be My Eyes' CEO Speaks Out

Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley joins Steven Scott and Shaun Preece to address privacy concerns, social media misuse, and volunteer guidelines for the Be My Eyes platform, including the rare incidents of calls being shared online. [Sponsor] Entries are still open for the Double Tap competition in partnership with Pneuma Solutions, with a closing date of May 1st. Listeners have the chance to win subscriptions to powerful accessibility tools including Remote Incident Manager for accessible remote tech support and Scribe for creating screen reader-friendly documents quickly. To enter, send an email to [email protected], a WhatsApp message to (613) 481-0144, or call (877) 803-4567, making sure to include your name and contact details so the team can get in touch if you win. In this episode of Double Tap, Steven and Shaun speak with Mike Buckley about two major topics affecting the Be My Eyes community. First, they discuss the controversy around a small number of volunteers recording calls with blind users and posting them to TikTok, highlighting why this behaviour is dehumanising, violates Be My Eyes’ Terms of Service, and how the company is responding with takedowns, monitoring, and volunteer education. They also explore the debate surrounding a blind runner who has suggested he used Be My Eyes for navigation while running a marathon. Mike clarifies the company’s stance on navigation use, safety, and media messaging, reinforcing that encouragement—not real-time navigation—is the intended purpose. Throughout, the episode balances the celebration of human kindness with the responsibility of protecting user privacy and setting clear boundaries for volunteer behaviour. Relevant Links Be My Eyes: https://www.bemyeyes.com Community Email for Reporting Issues: [email protected] Fight for Sight: https://www.fightforsight.org.uk ----Follow on:YouTube: https://www.doubletaponair.com/youtubeX (formerly Twitter): https://www.doubletaponair.com/xInstagram: https://www.doubletaponair.com/instagramTikTok: https://www.doubletaponair.com/tiktokThreads: https://www.doubletaponair.com/threadsFacebook: https://www.doubletaponair.com/facebookLinkedIn: https://www.doubletaponair.com/linkedinSubscribe to the Podcast:Apple: https://www.doubletaponair.com/appleSpotify: https://www.doubletaponair.com/spotifyRSS: https://www.doubletaponair.com/podcastiHeadRadio: https://www.doubletaponair.com/iheartAbout Double TapHosted by the insightful duo, Steven Scott and Shaun Preece, Double Tap is a treasure trove of information for anyone who's blind or partially sighted and has a passion for tech. Steven and Shaun not only demystify tech, but they also regularly feature interviews and welcome guests from the community, fostering an interactive and engaging environment. Tune in every day of the week, and you'll discover how technology can seamlessly integrate into your life, enhancing daily tasks and experiences, even if your sight is limited."Double Tap" is a registered trademark of Double Tap Productions Inc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.