In an age where technology plays a pivotal role in shaping our lives, few individuals stand out for their commitment to harnessing innovation for social good. Ian Stevenson MBE, co-founder of Cyacomb, has dedicated his career to enhancing online safety through cutting-edge digital forensics. With a background in software development and a passion for translating complex technologies into practical solutions, Ian has been at the forefront of initiatives aimed at safeguarding children and combating online harm. His journey from technology startups to founding the Online Safety Tech Industry Association (OSTIA) reflects a deep-seated belief in the power of collaboration and advocacy. In this interview, we delve into Ian’s insights on the challenges and triumphs of leading a tech company focused on social impact, his vision for the future of online safety, and the values that drive him both personally and professionally. Join us as we explore the mind of a visionary leader committed to making a difference. Excerpts:
Background, Education, and Start of Career
Tell us about your early career and the path that led you to the field of safety technology?
I started writing software and designing electronics, but I quite quickly got drawn towards roles that were more about taking technology out of the lab into the real world where it can be useful and connecting or translating between different disciplines. Most of those were in or around technology startups or spinouts.
In 2015 I joined a project at Edinburgh Napier University as a consultant, and they introduced me to this mission, which has become increasingly important to me ever since. Bruce and I spun out Cyacomb to bring innovation to Digital Forensics and it’s been immensely rewarding for the whole team to see our technology flourish and make a significant contribution to rescuing and safeguarding children and putting offenders behind bars. We’ve worked with partners around the world to make more data than ever available at the front line. We saw an opportunity in 2019 to use the same technology to deliver online safety capabilities at scale, even in challenging encrypted environments. Through efforts to try to give companies like ours more of a voice, I became one of the founders of OSTIA (the Online Safety Tech Industry Association) in 2020, and we have worked with the UK government and others to provide technical input to the debate around Online Safety Act and its implementation, and similar legislation elsewhere in the world.
Was there a defining moment or experience in your education that shaped your interest in technology and its societal impact?
I’ve always been at least as interested in what we can do with technology as I have in how it works, and I think that has shaped my career from very early on. I only really started thinking about that in terms of impact on society (rather than solving problems or impact for individuals) when we started working in Online Safety, where impact is almost by definition at a societal scale.
At one point in my career, I took a job that sounded good on paper, but the role turned out to be very different from the one I was offered, and there were deep cultural problems in the company that resulted in some really toxic behaviours. I left very quickly, and since then, I’ve spent far more time thinking about people and culture when getting into something new.
How do you think your background prepared you for the challenges of leading a company like Cyacomb?
I’ve spent most of my career in or around startups with increasingly senior roles. In 2010, I took some time out to do the Saltire Fellowship to augment my engineering education with an “Experiential MBA” and build my business skills, and from that point on, I was working towards leading a company at the right time. I spent the next few years working on startup projects as an advisor or consultant, building experience and networks, so when I had the opportunity to become a founder myself, I felt I had the right combination of education and practical experience to take it on.
What advice would you give young professionals starting out in the tech industry, particularly those drawn to social impact?
I think there are more opportunities than ever to have roles in tech that focus on impactful outcomes, from online safety and cybersecurity to medical and wellness technologies. I think almost every role in tech offers some opportunity to contribute, though, by thinking about how technologies we build can be safe, secure and inclusive by design.
Becoming a Co-Founder and CEO
What inspired you to co-found Cyacomb, and what was the initial vision for the company?
My decision to become a founder was driven by great technology, a clear market need, having Bruce Ramsay as a willing and able co-founder, and by doing something with a real purpose behind it. Our initial vision for the company was to put the best triage technology and best dataset in the hands of everyone who can benefit from it. We wanted to build a product embodying three priorities (Forensic Integrity, Speed and Ease of Use) that are still at the heart of what we do today.
Many of our customers tell us when they have successes with our technology. Our users’ stories about offenders being taken off the streets and brought to justice and children being safeguarded or rescued are what reinvigorate me in difficult times.
OSTIA has been a significant milestone in your journey. Can you share the goals behind its launch and the challenges you faced during development?
When we started looking at applications in Online Safety we found two entrenched camps. Charities, NGOs, campaign groups and often policymakers saw a real need for change. Online platforms often took the position “we’re doing all we can” and were very often advising policymakers and regulators about what was possible and what wasn’t from a technology perspective too. We felt there was a real need for a voice from technologists working at the cutting edge of Online Safety to help inform the debate on just how much safety technology can accomplish.
Besides, the Online Safety Act’s strength lies in the flexibility it affords the regulator to respond to changing threats and technology by providing a framework rather than a strict set of rules. This is also its greatest weakness, as its success is determined by the approach the regulator takes. Right now, I feel the regulator is initially taking a far more cautious approach than Parliament intended from the debates I heard and took part in. I’m glad to see that the responsible Secretary of State is issuing a Statement of Strategic Priorities to Ofcom encouraging more ambitious action, and I hope we will see that have effect soon.
How do you think society can navigate the tension between protecting online privacy and ensuring safety?
I think most of the tensions talked about in the press and parliaments are an illusion. There are excellent privacy-preserving technologies out there that, when deployed properly, offer no more threat to privacy than an anti-virus tool or spell-checker. We need to dispel myths around safety tech and have more sophisticated conversations about how it is deployed. The areas where there are real privacy concerns aren’t usually around safety tech itself but about how it might be used to report problems to moderators or law enforcement. These aren’t technology questions, and we need to separate conversations about policy choice from conversations about technology.
Do you feel that the tech industry as a whole is doing enough to tackle online harm, or are we still scratching the surface?
I think we’re still scratching the surface of what can be done to keep users safe online. We’re still in the early stages of the journey in understanding online harms and what can be done about them. In general, the trend is already towards safer technology, and I applaud that. I’d like to see the rate of improvement accelerate, and I think a combination of regulation and public opinion will continue to drive that acceleration in the coming months and years.
Have there been moments when you questioned whether Cyacomb could continue to grow or fulfil its mission? What kept you going?
There are regularly moments when this feels like hard work, and the best antidote is the feedback we get from our customers on the impact we’re having on their jobs. I’m really proud of what we help them achieve, we want to do that more widely, and that’s where the motivation comes from.
I think that in some ways it’s easier building and leading a team with a strong underlying sense of purpose. People bring a lot of goodwill and understanding when they understand and have confidence that we all want to get to the same place, even if we have different ideas about how best to get there.
Personal Growth, Interests, Values, and Future Plans
Receiving an MBE is a significant achievement. What does this recognition mean to you personally and professionally?
I’m delighted to be recognised, and also very conscious that although I’m the “front man”, this is really a recognition of the work of everyone involved at Cyacomb and across the Online Safety sector. I hope that this recognition will help us do even more in the future.
Balancing personal life and a demanding career can be difficult. How do you manage to find time for family and personal interests?
I’m really fortunate that my work aligns pretty well with my personal interests, and I try to be disciplined about making sure I keep evenings and weekends for family. I’ve always adapted my working hours to have an afternoon off with my son when he was very young and to at least pick him up after school one day a week now he’s a bit older. I’m lucky that both my son and wife are very understanding and supportive when I need to travel or miss out on family things. I think the workplace has become much more accommodating for parents in the last few years, and that’s definitely a trend I’d like to see continue.
Family time is a pretty good antidote to work! I also walk or run for at least 30 minutes every day, usually with music or a podcast for company. I find reading fiction is a good escape so that’s part of every day for me too.
Have your values as a leader and person evolved over time?
I’m not sure that my values have changed over time, but how I would express them and put them into action has evolved dramatically as I have built experience and knowledge.
I try to take every opportunity to listen to the voices of victims, survivors and their families, whether I hear them directly, through the media or through our partners. That’s where we have to measure how we can make an impact.
Beyond Cyacomb and OSTIA, what else are you passionate about?
I’m really interested in how innovation ecosystems work, especially my local ecosystem in Scotland (as well as in Police Forensics and Online Safety).
I think we’ll see widespread adoption of safety by design and safety tech over the next decade. Given the pace of technical development, especially in AI, I hope that a lot of it will appear pretty much like magic compared with what we have today. Our job as technologists is to find ways to make that magic happen.
AI is rapidly changing the landscape we operate in, so one of my priorities is trying to understand and keep on top of what is happening there. I’m also trying to keep building my knowledge and awareness.
Looking back on your career so far, is there anything you would do differently, or are you a believer in “no regrets”?
There are lots of things in my career that I would do differently if I encountered a similar situation again because I have knowledge and experience that I didn’t have at the time. I hope I’m always learning and always will be. Even so, I have “no regrets” because I have always done the best I could at the time. I am the sum of my experiences, positive and negative, and I embrace that.
