The Emotional Integrity Index

The EII is a certification system that measures how ethically and safely digital products treat their users.
Unlike metrics focused on clicks or growth, EII evaluates whether technology respects human wellbeing.

Founded by Melissa Geurts and Joshua Hobson.

[ Launching 2026 ]

  • Focus on actual safeguards, not just intentions.

  • Provide transparency, accountability, and independent review.

  • Establish a recognizable trust badge for ethical digital experiences.

Core Principles

  1. Manipulation Tactics

  2. Consent Violations

  3. Neurodivergent Safety

  4. Attention Hijacking

  5. Data Ethics

  6. Sensory Overload

  7. Autonomy Protection

  8. Regulatory Compliance

Eight Dimensions of Ethical Treatment

Co-Founders

Melissa Geurts

Design, Standards, Specification

Group Executive Creative Director at Good Housekeeping (Hearst, 38M+ readers). Founder of The Blue Algorithm, host of Audio Spells podast and leading voice in Emotional UX.

Translates complex emotional and cultural research into practical frameworks. Developing anti-manipulation design standards, immersive emotional infrastructures, and ethical AI specifications that scale across media, wellness, and technology.

“Technology should be measured by how it strengthens human sovereignty. Emotional safety must be treated as rigorously as physical safety—embedded into infrastructure, not added as an afterthought.”

Joshua Hobson

Governance, Compliance, Operations

Operations leader with UK financial services compliance background. First Class Sociology degree from Liverpool John Moores University.

Believes systems must serve people, not the other way around. Also trained as an ethical butcher, he brings a ground-level respect for transparent, sustainable operations into his compliance career—translating complex regulatory requirements into practical, human-centered systems that scale with integrity.

"We need governance frameworks that are both rigorous and humane. Standards that protect users while enabling innovation—built through transparent, accountable processes."

  1. Submit Evidence
    Product walkthrough & documentation.

  2. Independent Review
    Certified auditor scoring.

  3. Score & Guidance
    Receive a remediation roadmap.

  4. Badge & Monitoring
    Products listed in directory and monitored.

  5. The Goal:
    To give users a clear safety standard and help companies build tech that protects people as much as it serves them.

How
Certification
Works

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