A collection of unethical designs from around the world, curated by the Design Ethics SIG of the Design Research Society.

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A collection of unethical designs from around the world, curated by the Design Ethics SIG of the Design Research Society.

A collection of unethical designs from around the world, curated by the Design Ethics SIG of the Design Research Society.

Home

Info

Search:

Beauty Products

‘Fairness’ creams in India that've had a racist impact on girls and women.

When systems, services, or products are intentionally or unintentionally developed with the goals of the designer or company in mind more than or rather than the psychological and physical safety of end-users, this can be considered as unethical design. Designs that undermine people’s wellbeing by encouraging destructive behaviours or maintaining inequities are also examples of designs that exploit vulnerability.

Let’s take the example of ‘Fair and Lovely’ face cream. In India, the beauty standard for women is to have white skin. As a remedy for dark  skin tones, there are a skin-lightening creams that reinforce the idea that brown skin is undesirable and success and attractiveness are associated with lighter skin tones. Such products, and advertising campaigns that promote them, reinforce damaging and discriminatory beauty standards, often resulting in low self-esteem, particularly in young adults.

Seen in:

India

Keywords:

Skin, Personal Care

Submitted by

Dr Deepshikha Sharma

Associate Professor & Head, Manipal University Jaipur

India

Submitted on

April 9, 2023

This was one example of unethical design.

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Share your own!

Have you come across an an example of unethical design? (It may be a physical product, an app, a service, a space, an entire system, or even something else altogether.)

The button below will take you to a Submission Form. Once you submit your entry, the members from the DRS's Design Ethics SIG will review your entry, and then add it to this website's collection.

Share your own!

Have you come across an an example of unethical design? (It may be a physical product, an app, a service, a space, an entire system, or even something else altogether.)

The button below will take you to a Submission Form. Once you submit your entry, the members from the DRS's Design Ethics SIG will review your entry, and then add it to this website's collection.

Share your own!

Have you come across an an example of unethical design? (It may be a physical product, an app, a service, a space, an entire system, or even something else altogether.)

The button below will take you to a Submission Form. Once you submit your entry, the members from the DRS's Design Ethics SIG will review your entry, and then add it to this website's collection.