Dark Pattern
Why In News?
- Recently many people have complained about airlines and online travel websites tricking them into buying things they did not want to buy when booking flights, for example for seats.
- Due to these complaints, the Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered low-cost airline IndiGo to fix its website.
In Terms of Dark Patterns:
- Dark patterns refer to deceptive design techniques used in user interfaces to manipulate or deceive users into performing certain actions or choosing specific options online.
- Examples of dark patterns include baseless countdowns for online deals, terms written in small print, cancellation buttons not being visible or difficult to click, advertisements appearing as news reports or endorsements of celebrities, etc.
- These include auto-playing videos, forcing users to create an account to complete transactions, charging credit cards without notice after a free trial expires, and using blurry colors to hide information that users need to know. Use is also included.
- Such patterns are unethical user interface designs that intentionally make the Internet experience difficult or even exploit users.
How Companies Use Dark Patterns:
- Social media companies and big tech companies like Apple, Amazon, Skype, Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Google use dark or deceptive patterns to downgrade user experience for their own benefit.
- Amazon faced criticism in the European Union for its confusing, multi-step cancellation process for Amazon Prime subscriptions.
- After communicating with consumer regulators, Amazon eased its cancellation process for online customers in European countries in 2022.
- LinkedIn users often receive unsolicited, sponsored messages from influencers in social media.
About Some Common Types of Dark Patterns:
- The user is promised one thing, but then given something else or forced to agree to additional terms. For example, a free trial that automatically converts to a paid subscription without the user’s consent.
- The user is made to feel guilty or embarrassed for not choosing a certain option such as subscription or donation. For example, when the user tries to close it a pop-up says “No thanks, I don’t care about saving money”.
- The user is not informed of the full price or fees until the final stages of the checkout process, making it difficult to cancel or compare options. For example, taxes, baggage fees and insurance are added at the final stage of flight booking.
The Way Forward:
- Dark patterns are deceptive and harmful design choices that violate consumer rights and online privacy. By being aware of how they work and how to avoid them, you can make informed and empowered choices online.
Source – The Hindu
