Communicating Design Ethics

Abstract

This case study investigates the ethical implications of corporate data collection, user experience design (UXD), and the right to privacy in the digital age. It focuses on how “dark patterns”—intentionally manipulative interface designs—limit users' ability to opt out of data tracking and targeted advertising, even in the presence of privacy legislation like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These deceptive practices raise critical concerns about consent, transparency, and power in digital environments. The study also explores the broader phenomenon of surveillance capitalism, in which behavioral and biometric data are harvested, commodified, and sold—often in ways that disproportionately harm already marginalized groups. Through discussions of data silence, algorithmic bias, and the limitations of current privacy protections, the case challenges students to consider whether ethical UX design should be regulated and how the design of digital interfaces can support or undermine democratic agency. The case also invites reflection on whether privacy should be treated not merely as a right, but as a design principle embedded in digital infrastructures.