Everyone accepts the Terms and Conditions. Nobody reads them.
That finding sat at the center of my MFA thesis at Parsons School of Design in 2019. My research kept returning to the same pattern: people adopt technology without careful thought, accept free services without asking what they are really giving up, and choose convenience over their own identity. The Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy are always accepted and never read. Signature: Actions Have Consequences was my attempt to make that cost visible.
The piece is an immersive virtual reality world, built in Tilt Brush and Unity. You step into a glittery paradise: the domain of the internet giants, each one persuading you to share personal data. The world shifts with your choices. The level of data in it rises and falls depending on what you hand over.
I built it for the younger generation. They should be the most thoughtful users of these platforms, and the most influential voices against surveillance capitalism. The piece gives people a moment to stop and critically evaluate choices they usually make without thinking.
Parsons featured the piece on their website. Two videos are on this page.
