Uh oh: the infantilization of failure
2 days ago
- #corporate communication
- #user experience
- #power dynamics
- Apps and software often use infantilized language like 'Oops!' or 'Uh oh!' when they fail.
- This language mimics social rituals to downplay errors, but apps are not friends—they have contractual relationships with users.
- Companies use formal legal language for compliance but infantilized language for their own failures, creating a power imbalance.
- Formal language in professional settings signifies seriousness; infantilized language can imply that user concerns are not taken seriously.
- The article questions why we accept childish language from companies handling important data and money.