First, the speakers will compare features and user experience data they had obtained from an IRB approved, ethnographical study on photo and video applications, primarily those widely used US and China. Users from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds were invited to use the apps and then interviewed about their experience, thoughts, and concerns about the apps. The speakers will also share public data they have analyzed based on the target audience groups of such apps, their user reviews, and marketing content from their official accounts on Weibo and so on. Then, the speakers will invite the audience to participate in a photo and video app session and discuss their thoughts on the features of these apps. Participants will also review the age limit of these apps, analyze short videos and/or end products of the apps at hand, and talk about possible influence of such apps on younger generations, especially minors. Further, using virtue ethics (Vallor, Ding, Holmes, & Colton, and more) as their framework, the speakers will share their findings on the relationship between technology and human behaviors based on the beauty standards the apps advocate. Connecting these apps to their specific users and user groups, the speakers argue that the ethical dimensions of mobile app designs should be taken into account due to the apps’ wide influence on global and local public spheres, especially younger generations, including minors. Finally, the speakers will introduce major social issues, new laws advocating women’s rights, and campaigns against mainstream beauty standards in local and global public spheres. The speakers will then call for action among workshop attendees and wider stakeholders, practitioners, educators, and students to work on specific action plans addressing ethical global communication design in photo and video apps.
