Randy Fernando

I'm sure you've heard technology is just neutral, right?

It just depends how we use it.

This comes up so often.

Every technology embeds values.

And the question isn't whether the values are there.

The question is whether they're explicit or whether they're hidden, whether they're intentional or accidental and whose values they are.

Saying that we're a neutral platform is by itself a values choice.

It's a choice to defer the responsibility, right?

To defer the pattern that the algorithm surfaces and whatever incentives the business model rewards.

That's not neutral.

That's just a kind of abdication dressed up as neutrality.

One of my designer friends, Maria Giudice,

has a great quote about design.

She says, design is not democratic, it's selective.

And what that means is, design requires you to be clear on what you're saying yes to and what you're saying no to.

So by definition, it won't work optimally for everyone.

So there are all these questions that come up when you're designing a product.

Who are you building it for?

What choices are shown?

In what order?