Dark patterns in User Experience altered my perception of websites and businesses negatively. Dark patterns are design strategies that manipulate users into making choices they probably wouldn’t make otherwise, which could lead to experiences of confusion and frustration. One of my classmates presented a Current Event regarding the dark pattern: Forced Continuity. Forced Continuity is making it difficult to cancel subscriptions, via complex processes or hidden cancellation links. California passed the 2024 “Click to Cancel” Amendment which stipulates that California consumers must be allowed to cancel in the “same medium” they used to sign up for the subscription. Suppose a consumer subscribes to a service online. In that case, the consumer has the right to cancel the subscription online without the difficulties of complex processes like sending an email or calling a number to cancel the subscription. Obstruction, another dark pattern, is the deliberate process of making everything more difficult than it has to be. The “Click to Cancel” Amendment does away with both Forced Continuity and Obstruction dark patterns.
Aside from Forced Continuity and Obstruction, I have had my fare share of experience with a particular dark pattern design known as Nagging, while using a website or app. Nagging is basically repetitive intrusions that continuously interrupt people while they’re trying to accomplish an online task. Nagging could be pop-ups, auto-playing audio or video or anything that distracts a person from their intended action. Nagging is very annoying and I’ve dealt with Nagging while trying to watch Youtube videos or any streaming services with commercials like The CW app, just the normal BET without the +.
I believe the benefit of using dark patterns in web development only yields benefits for the web developer and the business or company utilizing that web design. Dark patterns do not benefit the user in any way. For example, the dark pattern design of Social Proof. Social Proof is using fake testimonials or misleading indicators of popularity to strongly persuade users toward a certain choice. This specific dark pattern is a practice heavily used on social media outlets such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube; with quickly dieing fads such as “Flat Tummy Tea”, “Pink Sauce”, and “Oil Pulling Mouthwash”, just to name a few.
What is the aim of dark patterns? Is it to create deceptive feelings within a user? When users encounter manipulative designs, they may foster a loss of trust. If a user feels like a brand or site is untrustworthy, they’re less likely to return or even recommend the product, service or site. That deception in turn could also lead to the user feeling skeptical, frustrated, and confused.
Dark patterns have yielded short-term gains for businesses, products, services and sites but it also yielded lasting negative effects for said businesses, products, services and sites. People are becoming more aware of dark patterns and with that awareness, breeds advocacy. People are beginning to advocate for better practices online, for good patterns in UX. The “Click to Cancel” Amendment is testament that people are beginning to advocate for themselves. Progress is being made toward better practices online, and for that, I am grateful.
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