Public Badges

Public Badges are presented as a mechanism for making the values behind software projects visible to the outside world. The post explains them as an extension of testing practices that can encode not only behavior but also ethical commitments. By encouraging teams to specify their work in terms of values, Public Badges aim to help people choose software that aligns with their own priorities. The concept is tied to the idea that values should be measurable, reproducible, and communicable rather than left implicit. It is also positioned as a practical initiative connected to Public Spaces, Waag, and Offcourse Studio. In the article, Public Badges function as both a symbol and a process for value-centered development.