Dark pattern: Difference between revisions

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~~'''~~Dark ~~patterns'''~~ refer to deceptive design practices used in websites, applications, or digital interfaces to manipulate users into making decisions that benefit the organization implementing them, often at the expense of the user’s best interests. Coined by user-experience (UX) specialist Harry Brignull in 2010, the term has since become a critical focus in consumer advocacy, as these practices undermine transparency and user autonomy.

Dark Patterns, also referred to as Deceptive Patterns, refer to deceptive design practices used in websites, applications, or digital interfaces to manipulate users into making decisions that benefit the organization implementing them, often at the expense of the user’s best interests.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – user interfaces designed to trick you. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/</ref> Coined by user-experience (UX) specialist Harry Brignull in 2010, the term has since become a critical focus in consumer advocacy, as these practices undermine transparency and user autonomy.

===Types and examples of dark patterns===

== Types and examples of dark patterns ==

Dark patterns can be found across multiple industries and platforms. While some examples overlap or share common tactics, all rely on manipulation and deception to achieve their goals. Listed below are notable types:

*'''[[EULA ~~Roofie|EULA roofie~~]]''': Critical [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]] (EULAs) are hidden or presented only after purchase, making it difficult for users to review terms before committing. These agreements may be located inside packaging, under a lid, or displayed upon initial activation, limiting informed consent. This tactic overlaps with "forced continuity" and "roach motel" practices.

*'''[[Post-purchase EULA modification]]''': Critical [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]] (EULAs) are hidden or presented only after purchase, making it difficult for users to review terms before committing. These agreements may be located inside packaging, under a lid, or displayed upon initial activation, limiting informed consent. This tactic overlaps with "forced continuity" and "roach motel" practices.

*'''Forced continuity''': Users are charged for a subscription or service after a free trial without adequate warning or an easy cancellation option.

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*'''Roach motel''': Users can easily sign up for a service or subscription but will find it extremely difficult to cancel.

*'''Hidden costs''': Additional charges are revealed only at the final stages of a transaction, after users have already invested significant time.

*'''Hidden costs''': Additional charges are revealed only at the final stages of a transaction, after users have already invested significant time.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Hidden Costs. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/hidden-costs</ref>

*'''Sneak into basket''': Items or services are automatically added to a shopping cart without explicit consent.

*'''Confirmshaming''': Users are guilt-tripped into taking a particular action by framing alternative options unfavorably (e.g., "No, I don’t want to save money").

*'''Confirmshaming''': Users are guilt-tripped into taking a particular action by framing alternative options unfavorably (e.g., "No, I don’t want to save money").<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Confirmshaming. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/confirmshaming</ref>

*'''Privacy Zuckering''': Tricking users into sharing more personal information than intended, often through misleading privacy settings or pre-checked consent boxes.

*'''Disguised ads''': Ads are designed to look like native content or legitimate interface elements, tricking users into clicking.

*'''Disguised ads''': Ads are designed to look like native content or legitimate interface elements, tricking users into clicking.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Disguised ads. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/disguised-ads</ref>

*'''Trick ~~questions~~''': ~~Questions are confusingly or misleadingly phrasing~~ to elicit unintended responses from users.

*'''Trick wording''': Misleading language to elicit unintended responses from users.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Trick wording. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/trick-wording</ref>

*'''[[Fear of missing out]] (FOMO)''': The use of time-limited availability to instill a sense of urgency in users, causing them to devote more time or money in order to acquire a product, service, or digital item. This tactic overlaps with "misleading scarcity message" practices.

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*'''Friend spam''': Users are encouraged to share personal information about their friends or contacts, which is then used for unsolicited marketing.

*'''Default-settings exploitation''': Options that benefit the company are pre-selected, such as extensive data sharing or auto-renewal of subscriptions.

*'''Default-settings exploitation''': Options that benefit the company are pre-selected, such as extensive data sharing or auto-renewal of subscriptions.<ref name="edpb">European Data Protection Board. (2023). Deceptive design patterns in social media platform interfaces: how to recognise and avoid them (EDPB). European Data Protection Board. https://www.edpb.europa.eu/system/files/2023-02/edpb_03-2022_guidelines_on_deceptive_design_patterns_in_social_media_platform_interfaces_v2_en_0.pdf</ref>

*'''Obstruction''': Simple tasks are made unnecessarily complicated, such as requiring users to navigate multiple steps to cancel a subscription or delete an account.

*'''Obstruction''': Simple tasks are made unnecessarily complicated, such as requiring users to navigate multiple steps to cancel a subscription or delete an account.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Obstruction. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/obstruction</ref>

*'''Bait and Switch:''' A user sets out to do one thing, but a different outcome happens instead. For example, clicking a button that says “Download” initiates a purchase instead.

*'''Forced Action (a.k.a. Forced Engagement):''' Users are required to perform an unrelated task to proceed - for example, making an account or subscribing to a newsletter just to access basic content or features.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Forced action. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/forced-action</ref>

*'''Misdirection:''' Attention is purposefully drawn to one element to distract from another - often used to downplay important opt-outs, costs, or alternatives.

*'''Visual Interference:''' Design elements such as misleading colours, button sizes, or placements make it hard for users to make informed choices (e.g., greyed-out opt-outs that are still clickable).<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Visual interference. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/visual-interference</ref>

*'''Gamification for Manipulation:''' Using badges, streaks, or points to incentivize continued use or spending, beyond what’s rational or in the user’s best interest.

*'''Nagging:''' Repeatedly prompting the user to take an action that is potentially detrimental to the user - e.g., “Are you sure you don’t want notifications?” shown on every login.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Nagging. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/nagging</ref>

*'''Hidden Subscription (a variant of Forced Continuity):''' The cost and terms of a subscription are hidden during sign-up or obscured in fine print, often leading users to unknowingly commit to recurring charges.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Hidden subscription. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/hidden-subscription</ref>

*'''Price Comparison Prevention:''' Limiting a user’s ability to compare prices across competitors - e.g., by using unique product names or obscuring base pricing models.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Comparison prevention. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/comparison-prevention</ref>

*'''Intermittent Rewards:''' Randomised rewards (like loot boxes or algorithmic content feeds) are designed to mimic gambling patterns from games in which players wager and encourage compulsive behaviour.

*'''Trick Timers:''' Timers that restart or extend themselves after expiring to simulate urgency and encourage immediate decisions based on false time pressure.

===Why dark patterns are problematic===

== Why dark patterns are problematic ==

Dark patterns are more than just unethical design choices. They have real-world consequences for consumers and society. Key concerns include:

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Dark patterns undermine the principles of fair commerce and user empowerment, exploiting human psychology for profit. As awareness grows, collaboration among consumers, designers, and regulators will be essential to curb their prevalence and ensure digital spaces remain transparent and trustworthy.

== References ==

[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]

[[Category:Common terms]]

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 {{Incomplete}}
-'''Dark patterns''' refer to deceptive design practices used in websites, applications, or digital interfaces to manipulate users into making decisions that benefit the organization implementing them, often at the expense of the user’s best interests. Coined by user-experience (UX) specialist Harry Brignull in 2010, the term has since become a critical focus in consumer advocacy, as these practices undermine transparency and user autonomy.
+Dark Patterns, also referred to as Deceptive Patterns, refer to deceptive design practices used in websites, applications, or digital interfaces to manipulate users into making decisions that benefit the organization implementing them, often at the expense of the user’s best interests.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – user interfaces designed to trick you. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/</ref> Coined by user-experience (UX) specialist Harry Brignull in 2010, the term has since become a critical focus in consumer advocacy, as these practices undermine transparency and user autonomy.
-===Types and examples of dark patterns===
+== Types and examples of dark patterns ==
 Dark patterns can be found across multiple industries and platforms. While some examples overlap or share common tactics, all rely on manipulation and deception to achieve their goals. Listed below are notable types:
-*'''[[EULA Roofie|EULA roofie]]''': Critical [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]] (EULAs) are hidden or presented only after purchase, making it difficult for users to review terms before committing. These agreements may be located inside packaging, under a lid, or displayed upon initial activation, limiting informed consent. This tactic overlaps with "forced continuity" and "roach motel" practices.
+*'''[[Post-purchase EULA modification]]''': Critical [[End-user license agreement|end-user license agreements]] (EULAs) are hidden or presented only after purchase, making it difficult for users to review terms before committing. These agreements may be located inside packaging, under a lid, or displayed upon initial activation, limiting informed consent. This tactic overlaps with "forced continuity" and "roach motel" practices.
 *'''Forced continuity''': Users are charged for a subscription or service after a free trial without adequate warning or an easy cancellation option.
@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 *'''Roach motel''': Users can easily sign up for a service or subscription but will find it extremely difficult to cancel.
-*'''Hidden costs''': Additional charges are revealed only at the final stages of a transaction, after users have already invested significant time.
+*'''Hidden costs''': Additional charges are revealed only at the final stages of a transaction, after users have already invested significant time.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Hidden Costs. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/hidden-costs</ref>
 *'''Sneak into basket''': Items or services are automatically added to a shopping cart without explicit consent.
-*'''Confirmshaming''': Users are guilt-tripped into taking a particular action by framing alternative options unfavorably (e.g., "No, I don’t want to save money").
+*'''Confirmshaming''': Users are guilt-tripped into taking a particular action by framing alternative options unfavorably (e.g., "No, I don’t want to save money").<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Confirmshaming. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/confirmshaming</ref>
 *'''Privacy Zuckering''': Tricking users into sharing more personal information than intended, often through misleading privacy settings or pre-checked consent boxes.
-*'''Disguised ads''': Ads are designed to look like native content or legitimate interface elements, tricking users into clicking.
+*'''Disguised ads''': Ads are designed to look like native content or legitimate interface elements, tricking users into clicking.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Disguised ads. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/disguised-ads</ref>
-*'''Trick questions''': Questions are confusingly or misleadingly phrasing to elicit unintended responses from users.
+*'''Trick wording''': Misleading language to elicit unintended responses from users.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Trick wording. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/trick-wording</ref>
 *'''[[Fear of missing out]] (FOMO)''': The use of time-limited availability to instill a sense of urgency in users, causing them to devote more time or money in order to acquire a product, service, or digital item. This tactic overlaps with "misleading scarcity message" practices.
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 *'''Friend spam''': Users are encouraged to share personal information about their friends or contacts, which is then used for unsolicited marketing.
-*'''Default-settings exploitation''': Options that benefit the company are pre-selected, such as extensive data sharing or auto-renewal of subscriptions.
+*'''Default-settings exploitation''': Options that benefit the company are pre-selected, such as extensive data sharing or auto-renewal of subscriptions.<ref name="edpb">European Data Protection Board. (2023). Deceptive design patterns in social media platform interfaces: how to recognise and avoid them (EDPB). European Data Protection Board. https://www.edpb.europa.eu/system/files/2023-02/edpb_03-2022_guidelines_on_deceptive_design_patterns_in_social_media_platform_interfaces_v2_en_0.pdf</ref>
-*'''Obstruction''': Simple tasks are made unnecessarily complicated, such as requiring users to navigate multiple steps to cancel a subscription or delete an account.
+*'''Obstruction''': Simple tasks are made unnecessarily complicated, such as requiring users to navigate multiple steps to cancel a subscription or delete an account.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Obstruction. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/obstruction</ref>
+*'''Bait and Switch:''' A user sets out to do one thing, but a different outcome happens instead. For example, clicking a button that says “Download” initiates a purchase instead.
+*'''Forced Action (a.k.a. Forced Engagement):''' Users are required to perform an unrelated task to proceed - for example, making an account or subscribing to a newsletter just to access basic content or features.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Forced action. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/forced-action</ref>
+*'''Misdirection:''' Attention is purposefully drawn to one element to distract from another - often used to downplay important opt-outs, costs, or alternatives.
+*'''Visual Interference:''' Design elements such as misleading colours, button sizes, or placements make it hard for users to make informed choices (e.g., greyed-out opt-outs that are still clickable).<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Visual interference. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/visual-interference</ref>
+*'''Gamification for Manipulation:''' Using badges, streaks, or points to incentivize continued use or spending, beyond what’s rational or in the user’s best interest.
+*'''Nagging:''' Repeatedly prompting the user to take an action that is potentially detrimental to the user - e.g., “Are you sure you don’t want notifications?” shown on every login.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Nagging. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/nagging</ref>
+*'''Hidden Subscription (a variant of Forced Continuity):''' The cost and terms of a subscription are hidden during sign-up or obscured in fine print, often leading users to unknowingly commit to recurring charges.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Hidden subscription. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/hidden-subscription</ref>
+*'''Price Comparison Prevention:''' Limiting a user’s ability to compare prices across competitors - e.g., by using unique product names or obscuring base pricing models.<ref>Brignull, H., Leiser, M., Santos, C., & Doshi, K. (2023, April 25). Deceptive patterns – Comparison prevention. deceptive.design. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://www.deceptive.design/types/comparison-prevention</ref>
+*'''Intermittent Rewards:''' Randomised rewards (like loot boxes or algorithmic content feeds) are designed to mimic gambling patterns from games in which players wager and encourage compulsive behaviour.
+*'''Trick Timers:''' Timers that restart or extend themselves after expiring to simulate urgency and encourage immediate decisions based on false time pressure.
-===Why dark patterns are problematic===
+== Why dark patterns are problematic ==
 Dark patterns are more than just unethical design choices. They have real-world consequences for consumers and society. Key concerns include:
@@ Line 60: / Line 70: @@
 Dark patterns undermine the principles of fair commerce and user empowerment, exploiting human psychology for profit. As awareness grows, collaboration among consumers, designers, and regulators will be essential to curb their prevalence and ensure digital spaces remain transparent and trustworthy.
+== References ==
+<references />
+[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]]
 [[Category:Common terms]]