Designing with ethics requires the designer to be aware of their decisions when creating different works. If the designer makes their pieces without being aware of the ethics of where the get their resources from such information, images, logos and design elements. This may cause issues for their career as designers and the career of their clients as well.
During my internship I have not been required to sign any confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements. And I know without being said that I can’t make any work I made for the company public knowledge. And that’s because the work I made is for the company benefit and shouldn’t be revealed unless the CEO has given permission. In AIGA terms between client and designer their is a level confidentiality where assets of the company or private information such client list, projects and etc. Can’t be public in fear of a competitor companies from trying to steal the assets of a projects to use in their favor. And besides that it would make the target audience of the company confused on the projects and cause them to misunderstand the information. An example of not being aware non-disclosure situations is Donald trump’s secretary who believe that she was off the recored when speaking with reporters told confidential information that put trump’s youngest daughter in the public eye and caused negative feedback.
When sourcing images I already knew I couldn’t just find any picture online and use it in any of my assignments for my internship. From the start of my career as a designer I got in the practice of using only free use images that allow to design without fear. From AIGA I learned the difference between free use and fair use as I previously mentioned free use are images that have the ability to be edited and reproduced and sold by anyone that uses the image. while Fair use are images that have guidelines made from the original owner and those guidelines are called exclusive rights. Where the image is not allowed to be edited, mass produced, or sold without permission of the original owner of the work.
In terms of ethics I believe I’m following design ethics well and I understand the awareness of what I say, what I design, and what I do with information I’m given. And I will keep in mind these codes in the future of my career.
Sources
AIGA Business ethics Clients guide to design
