First, I want to commend you for really thinking about what it is you do and why you're doing it (so early on in your career). I'm still kinda early on in my career and it's something I think about a lot. The ethics of technology, Silicon Valley, data privacy, artificial intelligence, etc.
Sure, a huge part of it is choosing the right company but unless you're in non-profit, you're still part of the capitalistic mindset which is what I believe is making you feel guilty.
For me, what makes me feel guilty as a designer is whether I'm making society more lazy. Our job is to make things easier for people but there may come a point where we turn into Wall-E. No one gets out of their chair and we have machines do everything for us. Should everything be easier? It's clear that technology has a lot of consequences:
"Unfortunately, what's best for capturing our attention isn't best for our well-being:
Snapchat turns conversations into streaks, redefining how our children measure friendship.
Instagram glorifies the picture-perfect life, eroding our self worth.
Facebook segregates us into echo chambers, fragmenting our communities.
YouTube autoplays the next video within seconds, even if it eats into our sleep. These are not neutral products.
With that said, even though there are a lot of things "wrong", I think we have a duty as designers to be the gatekeepers. That's what keeps me going, knowing that I am putting the humanity back into technology. Without people like us, technology will go down a dark path.
First, I want to commend you for really thinking about what it is you do and why you're doing it (so early on in your career). I'm still kinda early on in my career and it's something I think about a lot. The ethics of technology, Silicon Valley, data privacy, artificial intelligence, etc.
Sure, a huge part of it is choosing the right company but unless you're in non-profit, you're still part of the capitalistic mindset which is what I believe is making you feel guilty.
For me, what makes me feel guilty as a designer is whether I'm making society more lazy. Our job is to make things easier for people but there may come a point where we turn into Wall-E. No one gets out of their chair and we have machines do everything for us. Should everything be easier? It's clear that technology has a lot of consequences:
"Unfortunately, what's best for capturing our attention isn't best for our well-being:
They are part of a system designed to addict us."(http://humanetech.com/problem/)
Here are some other articles along those sentiments: https://www.fastcompany.com/90161166/this-design-generation-has-failedhttps://www.wired.com/story/our-minds-have-been-hijacked-by-our-phones-tristan-harris-wants-to-rescue-them/
With that said, even though there are a lot of things "wrong", I think we have a duty as designers to be the gatekeepers. That's what keeps me going, knowing that I am putting the humanity back into technology. Without people like us, technology will go down a dark path.