Launch a Storytelling Campaign

Problem

Awareness of the nature and extent of Deceptive Design remains limited. Equally, lived experiences from vulnerable communities remain underrepresented in documentation, leaving issues such as mental health impacts out of the conversation. The lack of broad awareness and shared global language about Deceptive Design restricts possibilities for systemic responses.

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Solution

An inventory of global stories of real-life experiences could create the foundation for a narrative building strategy that conveys the scope and scale of Deceptive Design impacts. Stories could fuel an online advocacy campaign that leans on youth activism tools, such as short videos on social media, to inspire a culture shift.

“Inclusive narrative building to frame mindsets around deceptive design will continue to be an important component of movement building.” - Workshop Participant

The figure below illustrates key elements in a proposed storytelling campaign that uses real-life narratives about Deceptive Design to raise awareness.

An open call for stories could amass a catalogue of diverse and global Deceptive Design experiences explaining the impact on people's lives, and create a vision for Trusted Design. Criteria for story collection should consider:

• Centering neurodiversity to ensure a focus on care when we talk about Trusted Design.
• Selecting for simplicity and relatability to specific communities (i.e., data privacy policy community, disinformation policy community).
• Establishing “community boards” of regional representatives to drive curation and ensure authenticity.

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Impact

A public awareness campaign could generate visibility about the impacts of Deceptive Design and build demand for trusted design practices. Funding could allow the campaign to grow and spread virally. Calling attention to Deceptive Design and creating a more informed global public would help disincentivize the practices among companies who wish to earn their users’ trust.