News & articles about dark patterns and unethical design.

May

How companies use dark patterns to keep you subscribed
Unsubscribing should be easy. It’s not.
The PuddingThe Pudding

April

The FTC wants to ban those tough-to-cancel gym and cable subscriptions
“We get countless complaints about this.”
The VergeAdi Robertson / @thedextriarchy

March

5 Online Tricks Retailers Use to Manipulate Us
Here’s how retailers use “dark patterns” on their websites and apps to make us spend more and share private information with them.
MSN
Consumer Privacy Protection Act could lead to fines for deceptive designs in apps and websites
Whether or not Bill C-27 moves companies away from deceptive design in apps and websites depends on how, and if, the Canadian government holds companies accountable for their actions.
The ConversationJonathan Obar

February

Fake countdown timers and constant nagging: The dark patterns websites use to manipulate you into buying
It sounds sinister and it can be: Unscruplous traders will stop at nothing to push consumers into making decisions that they wouldn’t otherwise make, writes John Hearne
Irishexaminer.comJohn Hearne
The sneaky ways Instacart gets you to buy more stuff
Study finds Instacart uses more dark patterns than any other online grocery website, such as a countdown to get free delivery.
MSNabitterbusinessinsider.com (Alex Bitter)
Retailer websites swept for ‘dark patterns’ by consumer watchdog
Manipulative trading practices push consumers to make choices they might not do otherwise
The Irish TimesColin Gleeson
Amazon’s sales terms and delivery ‘dark patterns’ face probe in Poland
If you’ve ever made an Amazon order with a particular seller because the estimated delivery for the item appears to match when you need it, only to be frustrated when a different (later) delivery estimate appears after you’ve completed the payment process, this action by Poland’s competition and con…
Yahoo EntertainmentNatasha Lomas

January

Shining a light on the dark patterns that manipulate us daily
The latest episode of the For Tech’s Sake podcast examines the deceptive UX designs that dupe us all: dark patterns.
Silicon Republicsilicon
We need a law against ‘Dark Patterns’
Recently, Amazon was ordered by the European Union to simplify its process of cancelling Prime subscriptions for its users as they were being made to pass through numerous hurdles, including complicated navigation menus, confusing choices, and skewed wording to unsubscribe from Prime, Amazon’s fast-…
DH News ServiceRavi Singh Chhikara,
EU watchdogs agree on how to handle certain cookie consent dark patterns
Cookie consent banners that use blatant design tricks to try to manipulate web users into agreeing to hand over their data for behavioral advertising, instead of giving people a free and fair choice to refuse this kind of creepy tracking, are facing a coordinated pushback from the European Union’s d…
Yahoo LifeNatasha Lomas
Half-a-Billion Fortnite Fine Starts Era of Regulating User Interfaces
With Epic Games in its crosshairs, the FTC demonstrates a newfound willingness to go after the manipulative power of interfaces.
GizmodoThe A.V. Club
Are dark patterns controlling your online experience?
The CEO of price comparison site Kelkoo explains how Big Tech companies influence consumer choice.
POLITICOPOLITICO Studio
The traps of online shopping are hiding in plain sight
Few things are actually scarce on the internet — but marketers don’t want you to know that.
VoxEmily Stewart

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