Dark Patterns

Table of Contents

Context: Some Internet-based firms have been tricking users into agreeing to certain conditions or clicking a few links through “dark patterns,” also known as “deceptive patterns.”

Background of Dark Patterns

These users would not have accepted such terms or clicked URLs (uniform resource locator), if not for the deceptive tactics used by tech firms.
Such acceptances and clicks have resulted in arrival of promotional emails that users never wanted, making it hard to unsubscribe or request deletion.

What are Dark Patterns?

Dark Patterns are carefully crafted interface designs that deliberately make individual’s Internet experience harder or even exploit them.
- They in turn benefit the company or platform employing the designs.
Dark Patterns are used by digital platforms to take away a user’s right to full information about the services they are using, and reduce their control over their browsing experience.
Origin: The origin of the term is credited to UI/UX (user interface/user experience) researcher and designer Harry Brignull.

Dark Pattern Tactics

Baseless countdowns for online deals
Terms and conditions in fine print that add on to costs
Making cancellation buttons hard to see or click
Making sponsored ads appear as news reports or celebrity endorsements
Auto-playing videos on sites
Forcing users to create accounts to finish a particular transaction
Silently charging credit cards after end of free trial
Using dull colours to hide information that users should be aware

Use of Dark Patterns

Big Techs such as Apple, Amazon, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft, and Google have been using dark patterns to downgrade the user experience to their advantage.
Example 1: Amazon has attracted criticism in EU for its confusing, multi-step cancellation process for the Amazon Prime subscription.
Later, it was forced to make its cancellation process easier for online customers in European countries.
Example 2: LinkedIn users often receive unwanted, sponsored messages from influencers. Disabling this option is a complex process that needs users to be familiar with the platform controls.
Example 3: In order to popularise their own video creating platform, Instagram was showing users posts they did not wish to see and that they were unable to permanently set preferences.
Sponsored video ads are being sandwiched between reels and stories that users originally opted to view.
Example 4: YouTube nudges users to opt for YouTube Premium with pop-ups, obscuring the final seconds of a video with thumbnails of other videos.
Example 5: Amazon launching a supposedly ‘free’ children’s app that fooled its young users into making in-app purchases that their parents had to pay for.

Impact of Dark Patterns on Users

Exploitation: Dark Patterns endanger the user experience and make them more vulnerable to financial and data exploitation by Big Tech firms.
Time consuming: Dark Patterns confuse users by introducing online obstacles that make simple tasks time-consuming.
Other impacts: Dark Patterns make users sign up for unwanted services, and force them to pay more money or share additional personal information than they intended.