Can Data and Ethics Live Together?
Summary
Putting together a product as designers is a challenge on its own. But what happens when you take ethics, privacy, and data into account? What is the extent of the slippery slope about asking for and storing data? It’s understandable the key stakeholders need to keep an eye on the KPIs and factor data in when evaluating designs. However, should any ethical dilemmas be considered when gathering such data? Join Matteo Gratton, Design Advocate from Sketch, as he draws more attention to these important topics with real cases.
Key Insights
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Data itself is not the problem; ethical concerns arise from how data is used and shared.
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Designers and managers have influence over what data is collected, stored, and shared within their products.
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Requiring unnecessary personal data during job applications or app sign-ups imposes user burden and risks privacy.
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Many popular messaging apps request irrelevant sensitive information like financial or health data.
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Dark patterns exploit user trust, such as asking for credit card info for free trials that auto-renew without clear exit options.
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Users are often tracked covertly through tools like Hotjar without meaningful consent, undermining trust.
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Complex GDPR cookie consent mechanisms often confuse users rather than empower them to control data sharing.
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Data storage has environmental impacts due to energy consumption and redundancy, which is rarely considered in design.
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Sharing data, even with good intentions (like highlighting Black-owned businesses), can lead to unintended negative consequences.
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Sketch’s live collaboration tool limits data collection to necessary info, enhances transparency, and avoids empowering managers with more visibility than users.
Notable Quotes
"Data per se are not the problem; it is the way we are using the data that can be problematic."
"As designers, we decide what data is required and what data is shared, and that brings responsibility."
"I spent two hours trying to apply for a job because of excessive data requests; that is a design failure."
"Why are messaging apps asking for my health and fitness information to just send a message?"
"I used a free trial with my credit card, never canceled it, and paid for three years without using the service."
"Tracking users without their understanding breaks the trust we need to build ethical products."
"GDPR is helpful but often users are lost in cookie dialogs that don’t clearly let them opt out."
"Storing enormous amounts of data requires energy and has a climate impact we rarely talk about."
"Google tried to help Black-owned businesses, but it also led to racist backlash online and offline."
"In our product, no manager can see more data than any designer; transparency is our red line."
Or choose a question:
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