For my final hack, I revisited my third hack, Desmos Diary, where I transformed an online graphing calculator into a medium for encrypted self-expression. The original version repurposed Desmos—traditionally an educational mathematics tool—into a digital diary, with each letter meticulously encoded as individual linear equations. Through this, I aimed to challenge assumptions about writing, visibility, and accessibility within the digital interfaces we regularly use and trust.

In this beta release, I evolved this technical experiment into a narrative exploration, taking the form of a brief story about a student unknowingly ensnared in a digital trap disguised as supportive guidance. The revised hack, presented as a fake PDF homework assignment from a fictional tutoring service called SecretMathPrep, appears innocuous at first glance: simple assignment instructions and rows of equations. However, when graphed in Desmos, these equations reveal a chilling hidden message: “I AM ALWAYS WATCHING YOU.” The initial innocuous instructions take on new meaning, as the assignment previously stated that the tutor “looks forward to watching [students] complete this assignment,” abruptly switching from a benevolent to sinister tone.

This project continues the central tension of the original Desmos Diary—highlighting the gap between a tool’s intended purpose and its potential when used in unexpected ways. However, rather than focusing inward through personal journaling, this iteration emphasizes external threats, specifically how common digital tools can be manipulated to create illusions of safety, authority, and trust.

Encoding as Entrapment

While the original hack centered on personal introspection and voluntary encoding, this version imagines encoding as a weapon used against an individual. Here, the student is not the encoder but the unsuspecting decoder of someone else’s concealed intentions. The decoding process mirrors a standard mathematics assignment, involving solving and graphing equations, common classroom tasks aimed at reinforcing fundamental mathematical concepts. Typically, such assignments are educational, non-threatening, and purely pedagogical. However, when the assignment’s outputs are intentionally crafted to convey hidden textual messages, the activity transcends educational boundaries and enters the realm of social manipulation, illuminating how easily digital interactions can be weaponized under the guise of normalcy and legitimacy.

While the dangers of encoding might seem distant from everyday life—often viewed as complex issues relevant only to large-scale entities such as governments—these risks can also manifest in simpler, more accessible forms. Consequently, misuse becomes equally possible. To highlight this potential for manipulation, the project situates viewers in the relatable role of a student seeking extra assistance with their math coursework.

The idea for this plot did not arise from any personal experience or inspiration, but rather from a realistic issue I could foresee with our current technological interactions. Students are seeking more online support for classwork, as an easily accessible channel. While some students may have access to more personal, paid forms of help, there are many students without the means to afford these services. The internet affords these students more democratic forms of academic support but also creates accessible channels for predators. These effects, in conjunction with the misuse of encoding, inspired my idea for this imbalanced digital relationship.

As the narrative reveals that the tutor is “watching” the student, though the exact nature of this observation remains deliberately ambiguous. Whether interpreted as physical stalking or digital surveillance, the scenario underscores the vulnerability of online users, the threats posed by digital surveillance, and the ease with which common technologies can be misused.

Considering Technological Utopianism and the Illusion of Access

This hack invites consideration of technological utopianism, building upon O’Shea’s critique of those envisioning ‘ideal’ future societies without fully considering how to achieve them. These idealized visions often depend on unrealistic power structures, inherently creating social inequalities, especially in education and literacy. While graphing concepts might seem universally educational, the ability to solve these math problems is often either lost over time or never acquired due to unequal educational access. Tools like Desmos, therefore, exist within systems of expertise and privilege. Most individuals are not trained to interpret equations as language, and even those with the necessary skills must invest substantial time decoding a complete message. Thus, encoding acts as a form of gatekeeping, delivering messages exclusively to those already equipped to understand them.

Speculative Design and Critical Play

Inspired by Dunne and Raby’s speculative design framework, this project functions as a “provocation”—an artifact designed not to solve problems, but to highlight them. It raises critical questions: What happens when support turns harmful? How can interfaces weaponize trust?

The fake assignment sheet, presented as an innocuous PDF, further questions authenticity and authority in educational contexts. Its convincing appearance mirrors typical online educational resources—bland, cheerful, and stripped of context. This realism lends the project its unsettling power. If printed and handed directly to a student, would anyone notice the hidden threat?

To conclude, this Beta Release seeks to challenge the viewer to question not only how digital tools are used but also their realistic vulnerabilties to misuse. Exploring the relationship between education, digital tools, and manipulation, the project underscores the complex potentials of common digital interactions.

LF

Works Cited

Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, “A/B” and “Design as Critique” from Speculative Everything: Design Fiction and Social Dreaming (2013), pages vii and 33-45

Lizzie O’Shea, “Technological Utopianism is Dangerous” from Future Histories: What Ada Lovelace, Tom Paine, and the Paris Commune Can Teach Us about Digital Technology (2019)