Cade Diehm

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Cade is a queer designer, writer and researcher. His practice focuses on weaponised design, digital security, privacy at scale, and online self-identity. After prototyping Signal with Open Whisper Systems, he spent four years designing for secure software and emergening new technologies. He served as SpiderOak’s first Design Lead and Chief Design Officer, researching new approaches to web of trust and design-led information security. He has been the Design Lead at Tactical Tech since 2017.

Presenting

On Weaponised Design

Weaponised design occurs when an interface or system harms its users whilst performing entirely within its expected behaviour. As systems — social media platforms, operating system features, etc - are increasingly weaponised by both platform operators and attackers, the response from the design community is abdication and avoidance of responsibility. This talk defines weaponised design and examines its common causes and influences, particularly through the lens of interpersonal online and offline networks. Finally, the talk criticises how the design community is yet to respond to these issues, and explores practices and processes adapted from information and network security, massive multiplayer gaming, live action roleplay and other fields.

Full essay here.