Sweetie is a medium developed to combat sex tourism and to expose pedophiles. Via an avatar with the appearance of a young girl, users can identify sex tourists.

The entire project – from idea to execution and results – has impact. It is a clever idea to deploy an avatar and it will contribute significantly to the unmasking of pedophiles. The design quality is not only in the creation of a true-to-life reality, but in the entire trajectory. The design agency’s commitment in this is implacable.

The jury regards Sweetie as a convincing example of what design can do for us. It helps improving the world with an interactive approach to a phenomenon which many prefer to ignore. A design doesn’t always have to be comfortable: Sweetie proves this and in doing so exceeds the standard of design. This eyeopener gave the jury goose bumps.

With a strong journalistic approach, Lemz touches on a relevant theme and raises both legal and ethical questions. Sweetie opens the debate on the design practice. Who determines the definitions and the limitations? How should designers deal with the issue of privacy? And how do we monitor the ethics within the field? Sweetie serves a good cause, and also brings the role of design up for discussion.