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Dark Patterns, also referred to as Deceptive Patterns, | Dark Patterns, also referred to as Deceptive Patterns, are 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: | Dark patterns can be found across multiple industries and platforms. While some examples overlap or share common tactics, they all rely on manipulation and deception to achieve their goals. Listed below are notable types: | ||
*'''[[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. | *'''[[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. | ||
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*'''Sneak into basket''': Items or services are automatically added to a shopping cart without explicit consent. | *'''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 | *'''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. | *'''Privacy Zuckering''': Tricking users into sharing more personal information than intended, often through misleading privacy settings or pre-checked consent boxes. | ||
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*'''Misdirection:''' Attention is purposefully drawn to one element to distract from another - often used to downplay important opt-outs, costs, or alternatives. | *'''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> | *'''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 | *'''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 | *'''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> | *'''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 | *'''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:''' | *'''Intermittent Rewards:''' Randomized 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. | *'''Trick Timers:''' Timers that restart or extend themselves after expiring to simulate urgency and encourage immediate decisions based on false time pressure. | ||
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==Dark patterns in games== | ==Dark patterns in video games== | ||
A gaming dark pattern is something that is deliberately added to a game to cause an unwanted negative experience for the player with a positive outcome for the game developer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DarkPattern.Games |url=https://www.darkpattern.games/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=Dark Pattern Games}}</ref> | A gaming dark pattern is something that is deliberately added to a game to cause an unwanted negative experience for the player with a positive outcome for the game developer.<ref>{{Cite web |title=DarkPattern.Games |url=https://www.darkpattern.games/ |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=Dark Pattern Games}}</ref> | ||
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**'''Playing by Appointment:''' Being forced to play according to the game's schedule instead of yours. | **'''Playing by Appointment:''' Being forced to play according to the game's schedule instead of yours. | ||
**'''Daily Rewards:''' Encourages return visits every day and punishes you for missing a day. | **'''Daily Rewards:''' Encourages return visits every day and punishes you for missing a day. | ||
**'''Playtime Limitations:''' Artificial limitations on playtime (such as through systems with recharging "Energy" or "Lives") build habitual play, when a player would otherwise burn themselves out through extensive play in the moment. | |||
*'''Monetary Dark Patterns:''' A monetary dark pattern is one which tricks you into spending more money than you want to spend on a game. | *'''Monetary Dark Patterns:''' A monetary dark pattern is one which tricks you into spending more money than you want to spend on a game. | ||
**'''Currency Obfuscation:''' Exchange rate between real money and in-game currency disguises the real price of items. Hiding the true amount being spent. | **'''Currency Obfuscation:''' Exchange rate between real money and in-game currency disguises the real price of items. Hiding the true amount being spent. | ||
**'''Premium Currency Hostage Cycle:''' Never allowing users to get their balance down to zero, resulting in small amounts of left over premium currency that can't be used without spending more. Always trapping an amount that cannot be used in an endless cycle. A real world example of this dark pattern was used in the Starbucks coffee app.<ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2024-01-03 |title=A new complaint claims | **'''Premium Currency Hostage Cycle:''' Never allowing users to get their balance down to zero, resulting in small amounts of left over premium currency that can't be used without spending more. Always trapping an amount that cannot be used in an endless cycle. A real world example of this dark pattern was used in the Starbucks coffee app.<ref>{{Cite web |first= |date=2024-01-03 |title=A new complaint claims Starbucks' app traps customers in a cycle of spending |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91004280/complaint-starbucks-app-spending-cycle |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240103063608/https://www.fastcompany.com/91004280/complaint-starbucks-app-spending-cycle |archive-date=2024-01-03 |access-date=2025-07-10 |website=Fast Company}}</ref> | ||
**'''Free Rewards in Store:''' Users will be given the ability to claim free rewards, but will have to enter the in-game store to claim them. This is often made a daily reward to desensitize the user to said store, and make them less inclined to think twice about purchasing paid goods within it. | |||
**'''Lowball Offers:''' New users will be given in-game offers for extremely low prices to get them to make a first purchase, which will incline them to purchase again in the future even as the prices of future offers increase incrementally. | |||
**'''Premium Currency Web:''' Several or sometimes many different premium currencies are made to all pay for distinct goods, often without a way to exchange them between each other. This ensures repeated payment across many different parts of the game, and further abstracts the amount of money spent on said game. | |||
*'''Social Dark Patterns:''' Social dark patterns use your relationships with friends and family to benefit the game. | *'''Social Dark Patterns:''' Social dark patterns use your relationships with friends and family to benefit the game. | ||
**'''Social Pyramid Scheme:''' You get a bonus for inviting your friends and then they have to invite their friends. | **'''Social Pyramid Scheme:''' You get a bonus for inviting your friends and then they have to invite their friends. | ||
*'''Psychological Dark Patterns:''' These dark patterns are psychological tricks that are used to get you to make bad decisions. | *'''Psychological Dark Patterns:''' These dark patterns are psychological tricks that are used to get you to make bad decisions. | ||
**'''Limited Time Offers:''' Certain digital goods are only offered for a limited time, then never offered again after an explicitly stated expiration date. This induces the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO), artificial scarcity, and leverages the allure of exclusivity all at the same time to strongly incentivize a purchase. | |||
*'''Combinatory Dark Patterns:''' These dark patterns are some combination of the types listed above, using multiple tactics for several purposes at once. | |||
**'''Pay to Grind:''' Rewards are offered to the user behind a paywall that are not guaranteed, and that they must earn through repeated game play, daily logins, or other cyclical actions. Said user can just not be given what they supposedly "paid" for should they fail to meet the stated requirements. A popular example of this is the "Battle Pass". | |||
**'''Recursive Rewards:''' Rewards are given for redeeming, earning, or purchasing other rewards to make the user feel better than they would with just receiving the initial rewards in isolation. | |||
==Why dark patterns are problematic== | ==Why dark patterns are problematic== | ||
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*'''Erosion of trust''': Users lose confidence in platforms that manipulate their choices, undermining long-term loyalty. | *'''Erosion of trust''': Users lose confidence in platforms that manipulate their choices, undermining long-term loyalty. | ||
*'''Financial loss''': Consumers often incur unexpected charges or fees, because of deceptive practices. | *'''Financial loss''': Consumers often incur unexpected charges or fees, because of deceptive practices. | ||
*'''Privacy violations''': Trickery in consent-gathering leads to the misuse or | *'''Privacy violations''': Trickery in consent-gathering leads to the misuse or over-collection of personal data. | ||
*'''Exploitation of vulnerability''': Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected, such as children | *'''Exploitation of vulnerability''': Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected, such as children, those with limited digital literacy, and/or inclinations towards forming addictions. | ||
===Regulatory efforts=== | ===Regulatory efforts=== | ||
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*'''Policy advocacy''': Supporting stronger regulatory frameworks to hold organizations accountable for deceptive practices. | *'''Policy advocacy''': Supporting stronger regulatory frameworks to hold organizations accountable for deceptive practices. | ||
*'''Third-party tools''': Using browser extensions and tools designed to block or highlight manipulative elements. | *'''Third-party tools''': Using browser extensions and tools designed to block or highlight manipulative elements. | ||
*'''Speaking up:''' Calling out these practices as needed serves to both raise awareness and push companies to do better. | |||
===Conclusion=== | ===Conclusion=== | ||
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 | 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, trustworthy, and healthy for everyone. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | |||
[[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]] | [[Category:Anti-Consumer_Practices]] | ||
[[Category:Common terms]] | [[Category:Common terms]] | ||