When "Cuteness" Becomes an Ethical Concern
Thinking about the apps I use daily, I realize how much they rely on amazing designs to encourage people to continue using the technology. Reading Sara Wachter-Boettcher's "Tracked, Tagged, and Targeted" chapter in Technically Wrong made me question the real intention behind all of these "cute" aspects of technology that content strategists create.
Wachter-Boettcher points out in this chapter that "cuteness becomes another cloak for tech companies: a shiny object that deflects criticism." I took this to mean that everything they create is a distraction to keep users engaged. So, while I'm busy scrolling through classic rock music edits on Instagram, companies gather data about me without me even realizing it.
This is a huge ethical concern for content creators to consider because it would make me question their intentions. In this sense, I would think companies care more about keeping us distracted and stealing our data than about actually creating content they think we'll enjoy.
In my opinion, transparency is the solution to this. I think it's more important to create content that's equally as engaging as it is truthful. Users should know how their data is being used! Wachter-Boettcher's argument highlighted this for me because she talked about "paternalistic playfulness" and how it can turn us into passive consumers.