Swedish communication theorist born in Liberia. Working with design, education and writing to support human rights in tech. Decades of digital experience and a deep concern for universal wellbeing.
The openness of the world wide web has been formative to my career, my ability to express myself and my insights about the world around me. Aware of how seminal the Internet can be in stimulating equality I am committed to combat any threat to this crucial openness. As an...
Many of us have come to despise them: the intrusive, unsolicited subscription forms promising you the holy grail of insights and knowledge. But the imaginative rudeness of how companies push people into signing up has grown into a competition delving into extreme depths of disrespect. I can safely say that...
A short film I made to commemorate the anniversary of my first axbom domain purchase. I had no idea what a fantastic adventure I had embarked on.
Misusability under every rock When writing a book on misguided digital design you are obviously primed to find content that supports your case. And right now I feel overwhelmed by the many examples out there of people being harmed by digital services and how companies, often consciously, use tactics that...
When I claim that online harassment happens by design I am often met with raised eyebrows. I am not saying that it’s the intent of designers to encourage harassment, but I am saying that it’s what the resulting design is doing. It certainly is doing little to prevent...
Like millions of others I have used Mailchimp for many years to send out e-mail updates to subscribers. Their freemium business model and quirky monkey mascot have contributed to them growing into the Internet’s largest platform for company newsletters. Yesterday, out of the blue and without explanation, users of...
Your impact on people and planet When I tell people I am writing a book about ethics in digital design many assume that it is a book about dark patterns. While there undoubtedly will be overlap I am more interested in the negative impact even well-intended design may have on...
Thank you to everyone who attended my talk on the topic of ethics in design at EuroIA. I am hugely thankful for the opportunity. I am seeing more and more digital solutions that contribute to negative impact, putting people and planet in harm’s way, without any clear sense of...
I love data and I love the Internet. Because I love people. So much good stuff happens as we have access to more knowledge and more people to interact with around the globe. When we use data to enhance our artefacts we also make them easier to find, easier to...