The seminar is entitled, "Deceptive Design and the Growing Threat of "Dark Patterns" in Technology Practices" and will be hosted in 104 Bond Hall.
Colin M. Gray is an Associate Professor at Purdue University and is program lead for an undergraduate major and graduate concentration in UX Design. They hold appointments as Guest Professor at Beijing Normal University and Visiting Researcher at Newcastle University. Their research focuses on the ways in which the pedagogy and practice of designers informs the development of design ability, particularly in relation to dark patterns, ethics, and design knowledge. Colin’s work crosses multiple disciplines, including human-computer interaction, instructional design and technology, policy and law, design theory and education, and engineering and technology education.
Abstract:
The strategic goals of organizations increasingly consider the role of user experience, impacting both the design of user interfaces as well as the relationships of humans and society to technology. But while knowledge of user needs and human psychology is generally framed as a means of generating empathy or reducing the divide between humans and technology, this knowledge also has the potential to be used for nefarious purposes. In this talk, I share findings from over seven years of my work on dark patterns that addresses practitioners’ engagement with issues of ethical concern. I use the concept of “dark patterns” as a point of connection to identify emerging synergies among design, computer science, ethics, law, and policy. I start with a collection of examples of dark patterns and “asshole designs,” demonstrating the harmful use of manipulative patterns that are ubiquitous—and increasingly under legal scrutiny. I then describe the organizational and disciplinary complexities that make it difficult for practitioners to act in ethically responsible ways. I conclude by describing the potential impact of regulations and enhanced organizational practices in responding to these threats. I use these studies to build a case for ethical engagement in the education and practice of designers and technologists, pointing towards the need for scholars and educators to address both near-term issues such as manipulation, and longer-term issues that relate to social impact, responsibility, and the potential for regulation.
Originally published at lucyinstitute.nd.edu.