Afraid of the Dark (Patterns)? How to Recognize Deceptive UX Design

Have you ever felt tricked into buying something online or signing up for a service you didn’t want? Ever struggle to cancel a free trial or unsubscribe from a mailing list? If so, you may have encountered “dark patterns” — deceptive design techniques meant to manipulate users.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll shed light on these shadowy practices so you can spot and avoid them.

What Are Dark Patterns?

The term “dark patterns” was first coined back in 2010 by UK-based user experience specialist Harry Brignull. He wanted a catchy name to describe the intentionally deceptive interfaces that were becoming more prevalent, designed to "trick users into doing things they might not otherwise do."

Brignull dedicated an entire website, DarkPatterns.org, to exposing examples submitted by frustrated users and calling out companies using manipulative tactics. Some of the earliest and most notorious dark patterns involved mobile games luring kids into expensive in-app purchases and social media apps pushing users to make data "public" without understanding the implications.

While not entirely new, the level of intentional deception and customer exploitation reached new heights as tech companies realized psychological manipulation could boost revenue metrics. Dark patterns allow companies to nudge users towards choices that benefit the company bottom line rather than the individual‘s best interest.

Why Do Companies Resort to Dark Pattern Tactics?

In the short-term, dark patterns offer measurable gains that may please stakeholders. According to a 2021 Princeton study, designers at one company estimated that just one deceptive technique increased recurring subscription revenue by $123 million annually.

What motivates companies to deceive users with dark patterns? Here are some of the incentives:

• Revenue growth – More sign-ups, renewals and sales directly boost income. A 2% increase in conversions could mean millions in profit.

• Lower churn – Tricking users into staying subscribed longer reduces customer turnover.

• Reduced costs – If users can‘t easily unsubscribe from emails, companies pay less for mailing lists.

• Data collection – More data enables better ad targeting and insights, and can be sold.

• Appeasing investors – Shareholders want to see endless upward growth in metrics like daily active users.

Despite knowing it erodes user trust, companies are willing to try short-term manipulation tactics to move the needle on growth and revenue. But the long-term brand damage often negates any temporary gains…

Dark Patterns Backfire and Damage Brands

While dark patterns may temporarily goose a company‘s metrics, they almost always do more harm than good over time. Consider the brand damage caused:

• Loss of user trust: Deception poisons the relationship between a company and its customers. Once users feel tricked, they begin to doubt everything.

• Increase in complaints: Angry customers complain directly and swarm social media with negative posts that dissuade new users. Complaints to regulatory bodies also increase.

• Brand reputation decline: Dark patterns lead to scathing headlines, investigations by journalists, angry advocate blog posts, and viral social media backlash.

• Customer churn: People abandon brands that treated them deceptively and actively warn others away. Lifetime value of customers plummets.

• Wasted resources: Designers spend their time building manipulative interfaces rather than useful features people want. Engineering staff maintain bad systems.

• Non-compliance: As regulations tighten around ethical design, dark pattern tactics could lead to lawsuits and fines.

Rather than boosting business, dark patterns often torpedo brand reputation, trust, and customer loyalty. The short-term metrics rarely justify the long-term damage inflicted.

12 Most Common Types of Dark Patterns

To avoid falling victim to these deceptive tactics, you first need to recognize them. Dark patterns typically fall into four main categories. Let‘s explore some of the most commonly seen examples:

Nagging Dark Patterns

Like a persistent sales rep, these relentless nudges pressure users to submit to unwanted choices.

• Forced continuity – Free trials convert to paid plans automatically without asking for affirmative consent or making it easy to cancel.

• Roach motel – Checking in is easy, checking out impossible. Cancelling or unsubscribing is made difficult by design.

• Friend spam – A site asks “Can we access your contacts?” before spamming those contacts with “join” messages appearing to come from the user.

According to an FTC study, nearly 1 in 5 users reported being signed up for subscriptions without consent due to deceptive design tactics.

Preselection Dark Patterns

Sneaky default selections aim to trap rushed or distracted users.

• Preselected opt-in – Checkboxes come pre-ticked to sign you up for marketing emails without asking first.

• Hidden subscriptions – A purchase flow quietly adds a magazine subscription by default without the user‘s awareness.

• Forced enrollment – Requiring an account to make a purchase or access content vs allowing guest checkout.

Research by Princeton University found that preselecting options can more than double consent rates, even for sensitive data sharing options.

Hiding Information

Trick interfaces prevent users from seeing the information needed to make optimal decisions.

• Confirmshaming – "No thanks, I hate saving money" placed next to the option to decline a discount to shame users.

• Price comparison prevention – Obfuscating how bundle prices compare to standalone purchase options.

• Hidden fees – Revealing surprise fees and charges only at the very end of a lengthy multi-page checkout process.

• Clickbait & switch – A link or button promising one thing but taking users somewhere completely different.

According to a consumer study by Forbrukerrådet Norway, hidden charges increased total purchase prices by as much as 115% compared to the initially presented prices.

Disguised Choices

Language and emotional design triggers manipulate users into taking actions against their self-interest.

• Sneaking – Hiding opt-out text in obscure sections users won‘t think to look in.

• Trick questions – Confusing double negative choices and vague wording that leads users to give unintended consent.

• Urgency – Countdown timers and language like “only 3 left!” to pressure users into immediate purchases or sign-ups.

Researchers at the University of Michigan found that sneaking practices increased opt-ins over 50% compared to more transparent designs.

Recognizing Dark Patterns in the Wild

Now that you know what to look for, you may start noticing dark patterns all around you. Here are some real-world examples from major sites and apps:

• Facebook – Makes deleting your account extremely convoluted with confirmshaming screens trying to change your mind.

• Amazon – Preselects “Subscribe & Save” by default on product pages to catch distracted shoppers.

• Google – Nestles nearly invisible “Reject All” tracking cookie choices where almost no one will see them.

• LinkedIn – Makes viewing profiles you’re not connected to cumbersome, nudging you to pay or connect.

• Netflix – Makes cancelling your account take ages with about 15 redundant confirmation clicks.

• Ticketmaster – Hides substantial service and processing fees until the final checkout screen.

• Best Buy – Adds on warranties by default during checkout for bigger ticket purchases.

• Yelp – Places more visible ‘write a review’ calls-to-action for paid advertisers vs organic listings.

Are Dark Patterns Legal? Evolving Regulations

Given the harms of dark patterns, should they be illegal? Most consumer advocates argue they should be. Some jurisdictions have begun steps to ban manipulative design tactics:

United States

• The FTC oversees consumer protection and truth in advertising laws that make some dark patterns illegal depending on their application, but the US lacks specific regulations. Enforcement relies heavily on consumer complaints rather than proactive monitoring.

• A few states such as California and Virginia have moved to restrict certain dark pattern practices by law. More states are considering similar consumer protection bills.

European Union

• The EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires affirmative opt-in consent, limiting some dark pattern tactics.

• The EU Consumer Rights Directive prohibits designs subverting consumer choice and restricts many nudging tactics.

United Kingdom

• An Online Advertising Programme is developing a regulatory code to increase transparency in targeting and outlaw manipulative consent patterns.

• Pending parliamentary legislation would ban designs pressuring consent, mandate transparency for paid influencer promotions, and restrict addictive user interface features.

Germany

• The Transparency and Fairness in Ranking Act requires platforms to disclose practices used to surface algorithmic search/recommendation results.

Norway

• The Consumer Authority closely monitors online retailers and issues significant fines when discovering deceptive interfaces and hidden charges.

Globally, a regulatory reckoning seems to be on the horizon as governments take a harder stance against manipulative design practices eroding consumer choice and trust.

How You Can Resist and Fight Back Against Dark Patterns

While regulations play catch up, users aren‘t powerless. Here are some ways you can protect yourself from sneaky design tricks and fight back:

Slow down – Don‘t rush through interfaces. Take time to scrutinize language and look for pre-checked boxes. Don‘t let urgency cues pressure you.

Read everything – Don‘t skip terms or skim agreements. Understand what you‘re agreeing to in detail.

Use privacy tools – Browser extensions like Privacy Badger and Mozilla Firefox Relay detect and block trackers and obfuscate your real email address to fight spam.

Monitor settings – Frequently check account and privacy settings for changes. Opt-out of data sharing. Disable auto-renewals.

Screenshot evidence – Capture shady tactics you encounter to share with others. This creates public accountability.

Submit complaints – File complaints with the FTC and platforms directly when discovering deceptive designs.

Change providers – Ditch brands repeatedly using dark patterns for more ethical alternatives. Even better, ask customer service to explain why they use these tricks before leaving.

Spread awareness – Share your experiences widely and educate others. Dark patterns proliferate in shadows but struggle in sunlight.

The more we collectively shine a light on these unethical practices through grassroots education, resistance, lobbying, and legislation, the less viable they become. The alternative of manipulated interfaces eroding trust and harming consumers benefits no one in the long run.

Adopting Ethical Design Practices

Rather than tricking users, brands should compete by building experiences people want to opt into. Here are a few principles of ethical design:

• Transparency – Explain how data is used plainly. Ensure users make fully informed decisions.

• Honest defaults – Don‘t presume consent. Require users to explicitly opt-in to data sharing and marketing.

• Empowered choices – Allow anonymous guest access rather than forced sign-in when possible. Make opting out easy.

• No shaming – Don‘t emotionally manipulate users. Present real choices neutrally.

• Test for understanding – Confirm users comprehend what they‘re agreeing to, not just clicking through.

• Data minimization – Don‘t collect more data than absolutely necessary to deliver your service.

• Accountability – Accept responsibility for unintended harms from your software and commit to improve.

Fortunately, we‘re seeing signs of positive change. Some companies are appointing dedicated ethics officers to spot and remove dark patterns internally. UX practitioners and developers are organizing to create ethical design standards. And prominent industry voices are rejecting growth-at-all-costs mentalities.

"If we don’t put the welfare of users first, we risk a backlash that will further diminish trust in technology," warned Randy Farmer, one of the internet‘s early pioneers.

Prioritizing user needs over short-term business incentives will surely benefit companies committed to building trust for the long haul. The brands that respect customers have nothing to fear from the light.

The Bottom Line

Dark patterns reflect a calculated effort by companies to deceive and manipulate users against their own self-interest. But through education and vigilance, we can recognize these shady tricks and resist their influence.

No one should have to nervously skim fine print, trying to spot the trap that awaits them. The burden should be on companies to convince customers of the value being offered, not bombard and confuse them into “consenting.”

While regulations play catch up, we can vote with our feet and wallets — leaving brands that treat us poorly for companies that earn trust through ethical design. The deeper truth is that no company can manipulate its way to long-term success. True loyalty arises from delighting customers by meeting real needs.