Through documentaries like The Social Dilemma, accounts from ex-executives, and recent congress hearings, almost everyone is talking about how much privacy do we really have online. This is not an unfamiliar conversation. It is almost the Achilles tendon of true progression in the tech realm. It is also the biggest source of apprehension from a legal aspect.
To me, this problem was a result of 2 things.
- Increasingly intelligent algorithms that are able to monitor and capitalize on an absurd number of data points.
- Profit incentive. There is an absurd amount of money that goes into and comes out of the digital ad space.
I recently read this vox article, and it was particularly interesting. It shifted the “blame” past the algorithms to the design and interface of the applications we use on a daily basis. Characterizing these as “dark patterns” the article talked about things like:
The trial streaming service you signed up for, only to be automatically charged when the trial expired
The small x to close ads
The process of rejecting cookies
I like the use of “dark patterns”. I also like the shift of focus from algorithms and executive economic decisions to design considerations.
