Campfire: Compass Calendar

Dot Dot Fire makes fun educational games for kids and schools in STEM and financial literacy topics. Guest Hilary Lok is the Founder and Chief Designer.

THEME:
The Fine Line of Ethical Design

BIG IDEA:
For-profit video game designers have to carefully operate between traditional extremes; the traditional tactics of freemium games are too exploitative, yet making boring and free games isn't sustainable. One way DDF has done so is by making their apps relatable rather than addictive. If players can relate with the protagonist's story, they'll be emotionally invested in a much more positive sense than if they were encouraged to mindlessly repeat price-extracting actions (eg using a loot box).

FAVORITE QUOTE:
"If people are happy buying a textbook with quality educational content, why shouldn’t that be the same with video games? We’re hoping to change the status quo so that people will recognize that if something is valuable to them and they’re paying for it, then they are the customer and the company is serving them."

Pic of Hilary's Cat on our blog post

If liked this episode, checkout: News Feed Eradicator and Future Ethics

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EFF is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Guest Cindy Cohn is the Executive Director.

THEME:
The Past & Future of Digital Liberties

BIG IDEA:
We don't have to settle. Some of our basic digital protections were once in jeopardy, like having access to encryption or preventing the authorities from looking through our phones during searches. In both those examples, EFF fought hard for our protections. There are plenty of threats to digital liberties worth fighting for today, like behavioral advertising, surveillance capitalism, platform-centrism. EFF's work over the last 30 years proves that engaged consumers have the power to make the internet a more open and thriving place.

FAVORITE QUOTE:
"When you go to buy a car, they don’t just hand you a car and send you to a website to buy your brakes; you get a car, it comes with brakes, and those work to protect you. Our tools need to be the same way. It shouldn’t be the case that they give you a ridiculously privacy-invasive default and you have to figure out your way through the settings to protect yourself. That’s not right, and we can change that."

FUN FACTS:

• EFF was founded in 1990 and pre-dates the world-wide-web!
• EFF has 3 artists on staff and ~15 technologists. Their artwork can be found all over on EFF's Deeplinks Blog

MORE:

• Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech - The interoperability piece mentioned in the interview
• The Foilies 2021
• If you liked this episode, checkout Future Ethics and  Siempo

This episode's newsletter issue

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Niagara Launcher is modern Android home screen optimized for one-✋ access and staying focused. Peter Huber is Niagara's creator & developer. 

Show Notes
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Ty summarizes Jobs To Be Done Theory, a useful framework for every entrepreneur & innovator.

Show Notes

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News Feed Eradicator is a browser plugin that blocks the news feed on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit.

Show Notes

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Bonfire audio from jgrzinich

Siempo is a mindful home app for Android.

Show Notes

Bonfire audio from jgrzinich

Future Ethics is a book by Cennydd Bowles that challenges technologists to stand up for change, and teaches methods for building a fairer future.

Show Notes

Bonfire audio from jgrzinich

Tortuga creates carry-on-sized travel backpacks.

Show Notes

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The show is returning with a new  name & look! Instead of showcasing awesome people, episodes will highlight products & builders that are making a positive impact. If you're a product builder or entrepreneur, this show is for you.

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Dr. Kirsten Fliegler is a Clinical Psychologist in New York City who specializes in mindbody disorders. She worked closely with the late Dr. John E. Sarno, who popularized modern mindbody treatment and coined the term Tension Myoneural Syndrome (TMS) to describe certain psychogenic conditions.

She gives an overview of TMS and its treatment, examines how personality and environment can affect one’s likelihood of developing chronic pain, and explains why it’s healthier to experience one’s raw emotions, rather than suppress or intellectualize them. 

This interview was conducted as part of the mindbody mini-series (episodes 006 - 008). 

Music: Lee Rosevere's "Southside" (adapted)  (CC BY 4.0)

Camera shutter: soundjay