SHOOW is an app extension for popular chat applications (Whatsapp, Snapchat, etc.). This extension detects nudity in photos and provides these photos with a digital watermark, as well as offering users the opportunity to provide the photo with a watermark on the front, stimulating young people to treat nude photos responsibly.
What was it like to participate in No Minor Thing?
‘No Minor Thing was an intense change compared to our daily jobs. In terms of substance, the challenge was indeed very challenging, as this topic is difficult to grasp. We also found that this project deserves more time and attention than we were able to free from our day jobs.’
‘The naive notion that this type of situation only occurs in distant countries was demolished on day 1 of the challenge.’
While working on this project, what has caught you by surprise the most?
‘How much sexual exploitation occurs in the Netherlands. We really had no idea. The naive notion that this type of situation only occurs in distant countries was demolished on day 1 of the challenge. Throughout the project, we focused on sexting. Again, we had no idea how much this is going on.’
What role do you attribute to design when it comes to this type of social issue?
‘Designers have the ability to challenge the status quo. Taking an outside, creative perspective to this type of complex problem allows us to reach new insights. We did notice that experimentation is difficult with such a high number of stakeholders.’