According to the video, the main message being delivered in this speech is about online security and how to protect yourself from identity theft [1].
The speaker establishes why the audience should listen to this speaker and this topic by highlighting the risk of identity theft and how college students are particularly vulnerable [2].
The speaker says that everyone is at risk of having their computer taken over by strangers who can steal their personal information [2]. She states that 32% of all identity theft claims are filed by people between the ages of 18 and 29 years old, which is the largest percentage of any age group [2]. Since college students spend a lot of time online, they are especially vulnerable to this type of theft [2].
The speaker learned three additional steps that experts recommend for online security: using strong passwords, using secure connections, and double-checking links before clicking on them [3]. The speaker did not mention these specific steps before [3].
The speaker uses a visual aid of a strong password as an example throughout the talk [4]. This visual aid helps her message in a few ways [4]. First, it provides a concrete example of what a strong password looks like [4]. The speaker explains that a strong password should be long and include upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation [4]. The visual aid shows an example password that meets all of these criteria [4]. This can help the audience to understand what the speaker means by a strong password and make it easier for them to create their own strong passwords [4]. Second, the visual aid helps to break up the monotony of the speech [4]. The speaker is talking about a fairly technical topic, and the visual aid can help to keep the audience engaged [4]. Overall, the visual aid is a helpful tool that strengthens the speaker’s message [4].
However, there is one potential drawback to the visual aid [4]. The password that the speaker shows is very complex and may be difficult for some people to remember [4]. If someone is not able to remember their strong password, they may be tempted to write it down or store it on their computer, which could actually make them less secure [4]. So, while the visual aid is a helpful tool overall, it is important to remember that strong passwords should be complex but also memorable [4].
