Theory
Ethics in Digital Design
Ethical use of Copyright
Copyright, to a greater or lesser degree, protects the originators of content from infringement by others; yet, it also limits the freedom and creativity of others, often beyond what the owners of the copyright would like. One new approach to copyright is the Creative Commons license, which allows people to share and build upon the work of others. The Creative Commons license is changing the way people create and protect their work all over the world.
Who owns User-Generated Content
The contracts on Social Networking sites can stipulate that the pictures, videos, words, etc, that users upload now belong to the social networking site itself, and can be used for any purposes the company decides upon at any time in the future - or they can state that the content belongs to the user. Who owns the content, and how is does that play out in reality?
Deceptive Advertising
When the image in the advertisement leads buyers to believe they will recieve something other than what they actually recieve, that is deceptive advertisng. A thick, juicy cheeseburger, stacked high with lots of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, all between two thick toasted buns, is a far cry from what the customer often gets in reality. The deception can be even more pronounced in the case of a game development book that has a richly colored cover illustration of a well-modeled and textured game character, yet provides only a ball-shaped character between the pages.
Sexual Content in Digital Design
Some games allow end-users to create mods, or versions, of the games and then upload them for sharing. Occasionally these mods may include characters which have been modeled to be apparently naked, and even engaging in sexual acts with one another. The same thing has occured when then game manufacturers have hidden "easter eggs" or special triggers in the game than can be released by players who enter the correct code or solve the puzzle; suddenly one or more characters are naked, or have the ability to engage in sexual acts. This is certainly an area that breeches ethical standards, particularly when considering that a vast percentage of game players are children.
3dcognition video games do not and will not have any sexual content whatsoever.
Violent Content in Digital Design
The jury is still out as to whether violence in games affects the player's choices in reality. There is also the question of what kind of violence is "acceptable". Should violence against innocents be acceptable in the game? Is murder acceptable in a game (here we can differentiate murder without cause against killing in war or self-defense)? And how old should a player be before they can be exposed to certain types of violence?
Some 3dcognition video games incorporate shooting (at a pirate ship, or an invading spaceship, for example) as a matter of self-defense and skill development, but do not incorporate shooting at "living things", nor do 3dcognition simulations show gore, blood, or glamorize violence in any way. There is a good discussion on the topic here.
Online Harassment
When one user of a social networking site to slander another user, the repercussions can be severe. Recently a teen killed herself when jilted by a boy she had met online. The boy didn't even exist, but was concocted with the help of a picture and some imaginative words by another teen girl and her mother in a psychological attack on the girl. Online harassment takes many forms and is certainly an area of ethical concern for the world of digital design. The potential for harm exists and needs to be considered when designing such systems.
Sexual and Financial Predators Online
Chat room conversations have many times led to the sexual abuse of minors. Identity theft and financial account breeches have affected thousands of online users. It is important for digital designs to take into consideration at least the most obvious and common breeches of security and try to close those up when possible.
Using Digital Design to Further Good Causes
One of the best examples of using Digital Design to further a good cause is The Meatrix animation series. The Meatrix is 2D, online animation, based on The Matrix movie, where farm animals embark on a mission to combat the greedy and vile practices of corporate farming and cruel treatment to animals. The Meatrix is entertaining and holds the viewer's attention long enough to make a powerful point. A somewhat related video called Farm to Fridge exposes what happens to animals between thier time on the farm and when they end up in our houses as food. Worthy ethical causes abound and the digital design arts can play a starring role in supporting them and calling others to action.