Dark Patterns. Online Tricks Designed to Confuse

You've probably encountered a "dark pattern." These are sneaky design tricks that make you do something you didn't intend. Imagine a website that makes it super hard to cancel a subscription. Or one that hides extra costs until the very end. These are dark patterns. They're like sneaky sales tactics, but online.

Companies use them to make more money, and it seems like the bigger and more recognisable the brand, the more they use them... But it's unfair to customers and ultimately makes you feel misled.

Some common tricks include:

• Tricking you into buying more: Making it hard to compare prices or hiding extra fees.
  
  
• Pressuring you to act fast: Saying something is "almost sold out" or using countdown timers.
  
  
• Making it hard to leave: Hiding the "I'd like to leave" button or making it really complicated to cancel. Some even require you to ring or write to them even though you subscribed in 30 seconds online. 
  
  
• Putting blocks in place to unsubscribing: Asking you to double confirm your email address after you have clicked the 'unsubscribe' link from an email, they know your address!

Real-World Examples of Dark Patterns:

1. Amazon's Prime Subscription Cancellation: Amazon has faced criticism for making it difficult to cancel Prime subscriptions. Users have to navigate through multiple pages and confirmation screens, often encountering offers and warnings designed to discourage cancellation.
   
   
2. Booking.com's Urgency Messaging: This travel site is known for using messages like "8 people are looking at this right now" or "Last room at this price!" to create a false sense of scarcity and urgency.
   
   
3. Ryanair's Insurance Opt-Out: The budget airline once had a pre-selected travel insurance option during booking, with the "opt-out" choice hidden in a dropdown menu of countries.
   
   
4. Facebook's Privacy Settings: Facebook has been criticised for making privacy settings complex and difficult to navigate, potentially leading users to share more information than intended.
   
   
5. Coinbase's Sign-Up Process: The cryptocurrency exchange has been accused of hiding the option to create a regular account, instead prominently featuring options that require larger initial deposits.

These tricks may give them short term gain, but in the long run can damage a company's reputation leading them to lose customers. It's better to be honest and fair.

The Cost of Dark Patterns:

While dark patterns might lead to short-term gains, they often backfire:

• Loss of Trust: Customers who feel tricked are unlikely to return or recommend the service.
  
  
• Legal Issues: Some dark patterns violate consumer protection laws, leading to fines and legal action.
  
  
• Negative Publicity: Social media and review sites amplify customer complaints about deceptive practices.

Ethical Alternatives:

Many companies are recognising the value of transparent, user-friendly designs:

• Clear Pricing: Showing all costs upfront, including any fees or subscriptions.
  
  
• Easy Cancellation: Making it as simple to leave a service as it is to sign up.
  
  
• Honest Messaging: Using factual information instead of manipulative urgency tactics.

In the end, good companies put customers first. They make websites easy to use and avoid these sneaky tactics. By prioritising user experience and ethical design, businesses can build lasting relationships with their customers based on trust and transparency.

What Can You Do?

As a consumer, stay vigilant:

• Read carefully before clicking "agree" or "buy"
  
  
• Look for hidden costs or pre-selected options
  
  
• Don't be pressured by urgency messages
  
  
• Report deceptive practices to consumer protection agencies

By being aware of dark patterns exist and why they use them, you can make more informed decisions online and support businesses that prioritise ethical design