Designers can and already do play an important role in supporting publics as they are coming into being and to help clarify and express the publics’ interests. The coming into being of a public, however, does not guarantee it acts in its own best interest or in the best interest of the common good. Publics’ existing matters-of-concern might, as demonstrated in this article, be influenced by deeply engrained societal norms and values, or even fear for demonstrating other concerns. What is the role of the designer in such situations? In this article I suggest designers can engage in redirecting publics towards alternative matters-of-concern.