DIGITAL

E CHARLTON APRIL ‘22

DYSTOPIA/
REALITY
BLENDING:

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL

CHAOS IS ORDER YET

UNDECIPHERED.
— ’The Double’ (José Saramago); as seen in Enemy (Denis Villaneuve)

THE PERSONAL IS
POLITICAL.
— Carol Hanisch et al. (1969)

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL E CHARLTON

INDEX NOTE 1: DESIGNING TO REVEAL

PART A: DATA BROKER DASHBOARD

0.0 INTRODUCTION

1.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

1.1 RESEARCH
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11

1.2 CONCEPTUALIZING 13

1.3 DEVELOPMENT 15

1.4 FINAL 17

PART B: PROPAGANDA FOR THE CYBERFEM 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION 19

UNITED GUARD
2.1 RESEARCH 21

2.2 CONCEPTUALIZING 23

2.3 ITERATION 25

2.4 FINAL 31

NOTE 2: DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING 3.0 REFLECTION 37

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL INTRODUCTION

0.0 The trajectory of graphic design as a profession

and craft has been historically entrenched in
a symbiotic relationship with the advertising
industry and its baked-in ideologies. As a new-
comer to design it seems a rite of passage to
grapple with this unavoidable characteristic; to
be simultaneously striving to master a kind of
shrewd and indifferent command of one’s audi-
ence while also seeking to redefine and expand
the definition of what design can or should be.
Point-blank telling people what to think about
things is more than enough cause for trepidation,
let alone being categorically strategic about
it. Redefining, on the other hand, can only be
achieved by the practice of many rather than the
assertion of a few. Despite this I’m still a true
and devoted fan, largely due to the people,
ideas and work I’ve been lucky enough to
collide with in my studies.
It is through this influence that I’ve learned that
it is not our work that invents the tool but rather
the tool that invents our work: we are a changed
species that creates and communicates with still
very new and very powerful design tools. With
so much that is already structured, shrouded,
concealed or misrepresented in our media that
serves to separate us, the potential of design as
exposé strikes me as a remarkable tool in the
coming digital age. My continued study in com-
munication design focuses here on deconstruc-
tion, imagination and trust: a process of learn-
ing, analyzing, disassembling and designing not
only to communicate, but to reveal.

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION DATA BROKER DASHBOARD

1.0 Data Broker Dashboard is a conceptual interface

that presents users with a jarring and intimate
look at the ways Data Brokers collect their digital
and offline personal information. Aimed at North
American social media users aged 20 – 40, this
project functions as an interactive website pop-
ulated with data modules and animations that
ominously visualize ways this collected information
may be used to exploit vulnerable populations.

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL
1.1
Critical Atlas of the Internet by Louise Drulhe is a
conceptualization of digital space through print-
ed works, culminating in a library of imagery that
challenges common ways of thinking about life
online. I love her bridging of digital and physical
space, the weird familiarity of the layouts and her
willingness to leave space for the viewer to make
their own unique connections with the work.
Stemming from an interest in ethical technology, I
attached to Shoshana Zuboff’s idea of surveillance
capitalism and the silent exploitation of social
media users by unregulated tech giants.
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RESEARCH DATA BROKER DASHBOARD
Far left: ProPublica video series:
What Facebook Knows About You,
When Algorithms Decide What
You Pay, When Machines Learn by
Experimenting on Us, How Machines
Learn to be Racist. Left: The Age
of Surveillance Capitalism auther
Shoshana Zuboff.
The NewYork Times, ProPublica and Wired were
significant sources of investigative journalism
concerning the irresponsible implementation of
machine learning and rampant misleading and
consequential practices within data collection.
Critical Atlas of the Internet by Louise Drulhe.
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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL WORK IN PROGRESS: CONCEPTUALIZING DATA BROKER DASHBOARD

1.2
I wanted approach the design by dealing with
space in a similar way to Drulhe in terms of
re-organizing a concept into an unfamiliar but
revealing apparatus.
necessary for these companies to organize the
vast extent of data they have extracted from
ill-informed social media users is neither unlikely
nor impractical. The fabrication on my part is the
insinuation of a single individual with omniscient
I first thought of a dashboard in terms of the kind knowledge of your personal information (the or-
of you might see in a spacecraft in science fiction dinarily creepy Steve): the intimate presence of an
movie, and quickly moved into looking at various individual is threatening in a way that corporations
examples of automotive models. The similarity of are not psychologically connected to. The personal
this kind of interface to 80s-90s DOS organization embodiment of corporate power insinuated by
seemed like an intuitive blend of visual references, the dashboard aims to emotionally appeal to users
while 80s science fiction paperbacks contain to be concerned about the scope of information
a great variety of typographic inspiration. and consequence that these businesses control.

This kind of interface could be designed in a way

that looks like a stolen look into the confidential,
shady business of data brokerage. In truth, the
insinuation that a operating database is likely
Visual research

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL
Login animation (AfterEffects). Below: rough wireframing.
1.3 In the process of wireframing, I realized that in
order to create a dashboard I would need to use
real examples of the kind of information collected
by data brokers. Working from details revealed in
a US Senate report from 2013, I tried to distill the
major types of information collected and record
any obviously problematic examples.
Creating the first looping gif for the login screen
helped to nail down a color scheme and typo-
graphic direction for the webite.
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WORK IN PROGRESS: DEVELOPMENT DATA BROKER DASHBOARD
Simulated “hashed datasets”; obtained through online string generator and implemented in Sublime Text through
extended accordian menu in html & css.
Being new to front-end web design, this interface
was a self-initiated crash-course in menu styling.
Simulating the presence of data is a strategic
undertaking that involved some creative thinking
The first draft of the site incorporated various
colours within graphics to differentiate the brand
identity of top data broker companies; this broke
the visual consistency of the interface and was
Working through strategies to reveal information slowly through user interaction.
and the use of a online random string generator, revised in later drafts. A focus on uniformity and
consistent use of stack overflow and W3 Schools aesthetic over readability was a conscious decision
various AfterEffects tutorials. Because I needed to emphasize the tone; at times, this may have
the site to be interactive and unfold gradually as been compromised too heavily.
the user explores the page, some javascript was
used for the automated and smooth appearance
of elements.
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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL FINAL

SITE LINK:

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL PROJECT DESCRIPTION PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD

2.0
Inspired in part by Walter Benjamin’s Art in the
Age of... and the digital Cyberfeminist movement
of the late nineties, Propaganda Materials for the
Cyberfem United Guard conveys the need for
The imagery connects the physicality of common
technology with the visual language of western
femininity in order to flip the script surrounding
gendered hierarchy and the fundamental power
resistance movements of the future to be led with of human creativity.
imagination and hope.

The project is an attempt to create a strong

and surprising visual identity for an imaginary
near-future rebellion whose existence is in direct
response to today’s trends towards fascism and
climate change.

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL
2.1
There is no shortage of tropes in popular culture
concerning the robotic female form, and in turn
no shortage of feminist critique in response. While
there are varied perspectives within the school
of thought regarding this phenomenon, it seems
generally agreed that themes of bodily autonomy
and the sexual liberation of femme-presenting
humans are often at stake. Additionally, confusion
and angst about the line between what is ‘true
consciousness’ and merely artificial intelligence
Early concept mockup. probe much of the same space that these Cyborg
forms inhabit. The area between consciousness/
machine, property/independence, digital/physi-
cal seemed to be a relevant and emotional place
to continue exploring social responsibility within
technological advancement.
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RESEARCH PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD
Beginning with widely recognized science fiction
film imagery, I drew inspiration from the city/
cyborg juxtaposition originally conceived in the
industrial era social critique Metropolis, seen again
in the contemporary film Blade Runner (clearly I’m
a fan of Denis Villanueve). This visual organization
contains clear implications of industry, technology,
autonomy and the individual vs. the masses. I also
drew inspiration from the physicality of computer
hardware in order to begin outlining a relationship
between embodiment and creation, our digital
selves and our physical selves.
Movie posters for Metropolis and Blade Runner; WW2 propaganda, image of computer motherboard.
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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL WORK IN PROGRESS: CONCEPTUALIZING
2.2
I chose propaganda as an organizational mode
of communication in order to evoke an association
with power struggle, social organization and the
problematic —but in today’s climate, inarguably
influential— appeal of conspiracy groups. While
conspiracy groups are currently behind a great
deal of harm and division, it may be recognized
that a core reason for their popularity and prolif-
eration is the idea of unveiling hidden truths that
have been concealed by the ruling elite. Although
First draft Cyberfem United Guard posters: combining visual elements. the truth is more complicated and discouraging
than many popular conspiracies claim, the desire
to advocate for justice and form community
around shared goals is the basis of any social
movement.
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PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD
Furthermore, the circulation of digital propaganda
on social media sites and online public areas has
become another factor working to undermine
democracies around the world.
Where conspiracy theory rhetoric and propaganda
in general is succinct, simplified, direct and often
appealing to the guilt or duty of established social
roles, I tried to develop this project in a way that
uses a similar vehicle to deliver a message that is
fragmented, complicated, dualistic, inclusive and
open to interpretation. While it is recognizably
propaganda, the commanding voice is detached
and unexpected. I considered writing style as a
design element as I created the copy.
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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL
2.3
In addition to the cyborg/city imagery, I created
an identifiable emblem for my rebel group that
encompasses their characteristics. Particularly
diverse in physical form, suggestive of transforma-
tion and fundamentally altered by artificial light,
the pixelated moth represents the multiplicitous,
revolutionary and technologically inclined nature
of Cyberfem. The pixelated and layered editing
draws from ‘glitch art’, a form of web art that uses
disruptive and innovative techniques to create
uncommon digital images.
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WORK IN PROGRESS: ITERATION PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD
I worked through a number of iterations making
digital changes, printing differing sizes, colour
testing and assembling in various ways. I wanted
the final versions to be unusual in both content
the rest of the content. The text on these images
‘there lies its power’ and ‘see for yourself’ refers
to the power of digitally manipulated images, and
is intended to tie the digital revolution with Walter
and form, but not so much so that they became Benjamin’s 1935 warning of the ‘aesthetisization of
unrecognizable as political ephemera. The dual politics’ as a tool for fascist ideology.
set of photos of a saturated computer graphics
card, first in original form and second obviously
digitally distorted, seemed a good choice for the
front and back covers of the ephemera due to
their call-and-response relationship that encloses
Alternate layout & test prints.
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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD

From left: graphics card photography & edit, test prints, color and layout adjustment, moth emblem iteration, substrate
experimentation.

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL WORK IN PROGRESS: ITERATION PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD

I used reflective ‘Holographic’ paper for the final

poster to create a physical image that resembles
a digital image, emphasizing the duality of our
First draft ephemera package. Right: third poster draft, first sucessful test print. physical and digital lives, and included this paper
in the final ephemera for a cohesive look.

The cyborg/city is achieved through stacked

removable pieces that, when dissected, reveal
the copy and slogans. The audience experiences
looking underneath these tropes to find a spirited
and cryptic message that appeals to liberation,
interconnectedness, and an untapped power with
the potential to shape an uncertain future.

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL FINAL

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL FINAL PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL FINAL PROPAGANDA MATERIALS FOR THE CYBERFEM UNITED GUARD

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DIGITAL DYSTOPIA/REALITY BLENDING: DESIGNING TO REVEAL CRITICAL REFLECTION
3.0 I seem to be someone who is constantly noticing
coincidences. A name heard in a podcast will
come up in conversation; an advertisement will
feature an actor I happened to recently meet.
These examples are perhaps less coincidences
and more the product of a public-facing job: the
co-incidences I seem to come across during my
work, helping me to make more meaningful
connections, are likely of the same variety. Univer-
sity allows for the study of multiple fields simul-
taneously with the understanding that no single
discipline is enough to gain an adequate under-
standing. It is possibly for this reason that I feel ill-
equipped to create anything of much worth when
it comes to communicating important subjects:
there is always more to know and more to learn.
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Authorship is appealing to me as an expressive
and creative human, but I do not create and share
with the same confident abandon I once did when
I was younger: the degree to which we are now
aware of each other’s thoughts, movements and
performances can feel both paralyzing and dis-
couraging. But I also am convinced that making
things, regardless of expertise or mastery, is a core
strength and joy of our species. As I wade further
into a deeply online, deeply digital profession, I
would like to continue to sharpen this proclivity for
making connections. I would also like to rebuild
and cultivate the generosity I remember feeling in
a pre-internet childhood; the reassuring optimism
that only those with space to share can give.
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end.