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Dark Patterns in UX Design

Jul 10, 2024

Dark Patterns in UX Design

Introduction

  • Dark Patterns: Features of interface design crafted to trick users into doing things they might not want to do, benefiting the business.
  • Example: Deleting an Amazon account.

Amazon Account Deletion Process

  • The obvious place to look is under the account drop-down, but it's not there.
  • Steps to delete:
    1. Scroll to the bottom of the page, under 'Let Us Help You', click 'Help'.
    2. Navigate to 'Need More Help?' and click 'Contact Us'.
    3. Click 'Prime or Something else' -> then 'Something else'.
    4. Select 'Login and security' in 'Tell us more about your issue' drop-down.
    5. In the second drop-down, select 'Close my account'.
    6. Have a chat conversation with an Amazon associate to delete the account.
  • Roach Motel: Easy to get into a situation (create account), hard to get out (delete account).
  • Coined by UX specialist Harry Brignull in 2010.

Other Examples of Dark Patterns

  • Spam Emails: Example from Architectural Digest with a hard-to-see unsubscribe link, same font, and color as fine print.
  • Mobile Game Two Dots: Uses color to misdirect, leading users to in-app purchases.
  • Banner Ads: Chatmost's ad with a speck of dust to prompt accidental clicks.
  • Booking.com: Increase purchase urgency with notifications about just-missed hotel rooms.
  • LinkedIn: 'Add Contacts' page confused users, leading to unwarranted email messages. Legal challenge led to a $13 million settlement.

Importance of Design Awareness

  • Dark patterns often stay within legal bounds, utilizing psychological tricks.
  • Fighting for Attention: Differentiating trust-building designs from deceptive ones.
  • Shared Responsibility: Users need to be aware, while designers should aim for honesty.
  • Quote by Harry Brignull: "Our best defense against the dark patterns is to be aware of them, and shame the companies who utilize them."

Conclusion

  • Design mediates interaction with the internet; should be comprehensible and honest.

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