THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE IFFY: IS THERE SUCH A THING AS AN ETHICAL DESIGNER?

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Designers across studios like Pentagram, Koto, and Creech reveal how murky and subjective client selection really is—what's a red flag for one may be a dream job for another, shaped by personal values, lived experience, and financial realities. From type foundries navigating misuse of their fonts to UX designers weighing the ethics of dark patterns, the tension between earning a living and maintaining integrity shows that “ethical design” in 2025 has no universal rulebook—only personal lines in the sand.