Ethics in graphic design

[bigdave]

You build a very tasteful cutting edge website for a bar/club, in 6 months time the owner starts to use the CMS you built into the site to upload explicit images from 'private parties' (with the persons permission). Do you consider yourself to have inadvertently created a porn site?

 

[Dodfaefife]

Just spotted this thread, very interesting. My thoughts:

• Would you work for a massive corporation even if you didn't agree with their business, if the money was right?

My first studio job included producing promotional material for Hughes (now Rathyon) whenever they came up with a new missile guidance chip or the like. We also did a homeless shelter though so that's OK right?
I doubt there's a AD or designer on the agency side who hasn't spent a large chunk of their career on FS, Booze or other corporates.

• Would you consider offering discounts to companies based on whether they were a more ethical company?

Not if the client draws a salary. If they are a commercial company/charity. That's effectively saying their work/time is worthy of financial incentive but mine isn't. Wrong!
I have chipped in some time on wholly amateur/volunteer projects that simply wouldn't get done without being fully donation based.

I've had a small local charity get quite pissy when I wouldn't wave my fee on a project. They don't know if I give a large chunk of my money or time to other worthy causes and ultimately don't care unless it's theirs.

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• Do you always think about the sustainability issues with the items you are creating?

Sometimes. I've worked on massive DM campaigns that probably consumed half the trees in Norway in order to get a 2-4% response rate (and that would be considered a successful campaign).

• Do you source eco friendly paper/material for your jobs?

Thankfully a lot of sustainability is now built into many of the commonly used papers and boards so you aren't forced to use stock that looks like it contains bits of twigs.
If a client has specific demands on ethical products then that's obviously what they get otherwise it's whatever I think is needed to fulfil their requirements while meeting the budget.

• Do you raise any ethical issues with clients?

No.

• Have you ever refused work on the grounds of ethics/morals?

I've politely refused when asked to use copyrighted material in someone's work and I would if I knew it would be used to defraud/mislead others.

• Do you think there are many graphic designers out there willing to dump ethics/morals for gain in their professional career?

Yes but more by doing 'homers', nicking clients, undercutting others, lying about skills etc. After all, what's the ethical/moral tidemark here? A flyer for a local club or a full campaign for InterBev – they both promote alcohol? Ads for the local carpet shop – their products are made by Dupont who also contribute in the production of nuclear weapons. Financial Service clients? don't even get me started on those guys, even with ethical policies in place.

Unless you're going to restrict yourself to working for kitten sanctuaries and nurseries (kids not plants, those Pfizer bastards are into all sorts), you're going to starve to death. My point is, it would be hypocritical to refuse work from a legally operating business be it a chip shop, nightclub, diamond supplier or taser-gun manufacturer. if you had regular work from various charities and the local lapdancing joint asked for a website then you'd have to weigh the potential fallout from doing the work but you'd be making the decision based on financial reasons.

• What are your thoughts on unpaid internships and unpaid pitching for work? (Think I know the answer to this one on this forum haha!)

If it's for a week/month only and includes something toward food/travel then I don't see a problem with creative agencies giving grads and those starting out a chance to see if they fit/like the business. The problem comes when it's used to pad out the work force on the cheap. No one should pitch for free - it's either too small to bother with or so large the client should know better what it'll take to produce and respect the expertise that this will demand after all that's what they'll end up buying (hopefully).

• How much are you willing to 'stretch the truth' when it comes to your CV?

Clients can sometimes be unaware of how revenant your experience is if it doesn't exactly match their area of commerce. In that instance I'll compensate for their "ignorance" by tailoring some of my experience to match their expectations. The job gets done. The client's happy. I'm happy. No one gets hurt by my little white lie. This is assuming you actually have the skill set and the expertise and aren't just lying to get the work, in that case you are a dick!