Accountability refers the professional responsibility of graphic designers to adhere to rules, regulations and moral principles governing their practice.  This emerged from the responses about pointing fingers or passing the blame, and being accountable for actions when a client demand seemed to contradict the designer’s code of ethics.

 

One employed graphic designer shared that she was once asked to copy an existing design that was copyrighted. She was troubled by the situation, yet was comforted by the thought that it will be the company, not her, who will be liable for possible copyright infringement. In contrast, freelance graphic designers are more conscious of following the legalities of graphic design, since as independent workers, they may be directly linked to the violating client and be held accountable for any unethical practice, putting their design portfolio at risk.

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