Dark patterns in design: manipulation in the digital world

Dark pattern in design is

The term "dark patterns" was coined by Harry Brinul, a specialist in user experience design. The concept implies a set of tricks used together and separately to confuse the client and persuade them to perform a target action. When a user, for example, subscribes to or buys something that he did not intend, this is a dark pattern in action.

Dark patterns await the user on websites, landing pages, and applications. Their action is based on the fact that the human brain, in an effort to save energy, makes many decisions automatically. Unscrupulous companies take advantage of this.

The most popular dark patterns in design

At first glance, dark patterns are beneficial to businesses, as they contribute to the growth of conversion and profits. However, this benefit is immediate, and in the long term, the use of such techniques works against the company — it repels customers and worsens its reputation.

Let's take a look at the most common types of digital manipulation and figure out how they work.

Tricky questions

The user fills out a registration form or purchase form on the website > receives a confusing question in a pop-up window > not fully understanding the vague meaning, gives an answer to move on to the next steps. As a result, it turns out that the person has subscribed to all types of advertising mailings (although he could have chosen only a certain one or refused altogether) or has imperceptibly increased the purchase amount.

Sneak into Basket

This design pattern imposes an additional service/product on the client instead of giving them the opportunity to choose it themselves. The bet is on haste and inattention. Having made a purchase, the user notices that the expected amount is slightly higher. It turns out that an extra product has leaked into their order. Usually, “outsiders” penetrate the “Cart” through checkboxes, which are necessary to mark the refusal of additional offers, or the website automatically adds products to the order.

Roach Motel

Roach motel/trap – a story about how it’s harder to get out than to get in. Most often used when creating a subscription or during the user registration process on a website. Doing one or the other is quick and easy, but unsubscribing or deleting a profile turns into a task with an asterisk. As a result, many clients give up on this idea. What’s wrong with this dark pattern? Aggressive audience retention often leads to people unlinking payment information from their profiles and leaving.

Privacy Zuckering

How do you get users to share more personal information than they want? Use privacy zuckering. The name is derived from the surname of the founder of Facebook, as this platform accumulates a lot of data from its subscribers. On the one hand, the use of confidential information is necessary to improve the comfort of the user experience. On the other hand, there is always a risk of personal data leakage. What makes this design pattern even darker is that, due to the complexity of the interface, it is not apparent to the user whether they should share data at a particular stage or not.

Price Comparison Prevention

The technique's essence is in the title: the user is prevented in every possible way from researching and comparing the cost of products/services. On the website, goods are displayed without prices, and to find them, you need to click on each item separately, write to the seller, or go to the payment page.

Misdirection

Dark patterns divert the client's attention away from the object being sought and onto another. How is this implemented? Subscription or purchase buttons on websites are often made as visible as possible, and the unsubscribe option is hidden. Alternatively, the user is offered to make a purchase with or without a donation, visually highlighting the first option more clearly. Registration forms may automatically have checkboxes for advertising mailings, but to see them, you have to expand the form and scroll to the end.

Hidden Costs

A design pattern similar in principle to sneak into the basket. Service fees and taxes when buying tickets or paying for delivery, which a person discovers only at the last stage of the transaction. On the one hand, you want to cancel the purchase right away; on the other hand, time has already been spent, and so many customers follow through. However, in the end, the user is unlikely to make a repeat order on this website.

Bait and Switch

A person is sure that they are performing a specific action but gets an unexpected result.

Example 1: a window appears on the screen offering to update the operating system > the user closes it > the update starts anyway.

Example 2: the basic subscription to the application is free, but the advanced subscription costs money. By clicking on the cancellation of the paid subscription, the potential client is taken to the payment form.

Example 3: a person is offered a discount in exchange for linking an account to a personal account on the website > he fulfills the condition and receives a newsletter instead of a discount. Using such a dark pattern is a direct way to anger and alienate the audience.

Confirmshaming

The pattern plays on the fear and guilt of customers, convincing them to do what is beneficial to the company. A standard option is when manipulation is hidden in the refusal to take an action so that the user will still take this action. What it looks like:

• "Yes, I want to increase my company's profits";
• "No, I agree to stagnation and decline of my business."

There are 2 options, but there is essentially no choice.

It is possible to use such a design pattern more adequately: by placing 2 options on the page, make the refusal button faded and poorly visible, and highlight the conversion button with an interesting design. This is also manipulation but less crude.

Disguised Ads

Advertising messages are disguised as website navigation elements so that the user accidentally clicks on them or the advertisement looks like a search query result. Instagram is often guilty of this pattern. What it looks like: influencers do not report advertising content on the page > subscribers buy products, thinking that the blogger recommends them. The overall result of such manipulations is a drop in user trust in content and brands.

Forced subscription renewal

A dark pattern, the essence of which is that after the free subscription expires, money is written off from the user's card for renewal. At the same time, it is quite difficult to cancel the subscription. A vigilant person can easily predict such manipulation by the request to enter card details during registration. However, due to carelessness, a certain percentage of users fall into this trap. Sometimes, companies smooth over the situation by sending notifications about a paid subscription renewal a few days before the free subscription expires. However, this still undermines customer trust, and there is also a risk of a lawsuit from cardholders.

Spamming friends

When registering with a Google or social network account, the user gives the product access to the contact list, and then people from the list start receiving spam emails. Often, the misdirection design pattern is used right there: the “Skip step” option is somewhere out of sight, and “Continue” (give access to the contact list) is right at hand.

FOMO

A popular implementation option is timers for promotions that are about to end. A person is afraid of missing out on an opportunity and does not think about the decision but makes a purchase. He does not even realize that the timer, foreshadowing the imminent end of the promotion, hangs on the page constantly. Another example of this dark pattern is creating the illusion of demand. A person is told that the quantity of the product is limited, stimulating him to buy it.

FTC Dark Pattern Analysis

A 2024 study by the US Federal Trade Commission analyzed 642 apps and websites with subscription services. According to the analysis, 76% of resources use one dark pattern in their design, and 67% use two or more. The leader among dark patterns is forced subscription renewal: 81% of websites use it, 70% hide information on how to cancel a subscription, and 67% hide the date of possible cancellation.

Misdirection, privacy zuckering, and FOMO (fear of missing out) are also the most popular forms of digital manipulation. Another typical pattern is the use of social proof, when a user sees the number of people viewing a given product along with him on the website.

Conclusions

Dark design patterns certainly give results here and now, and perhaps their use is justified for small brands that need to survive. Nevertheless, as the business develops, it is essential to leave these techniques in the past to avoid customer complaints and returns, low loyalty rates and possible litigation. Instant success is definitely not worth it. Be honest with your audience and achieve business goals with the help of an ethical and comfortable user experience.

By the way, one of the ways to improve the comfort of the user experience on the website and in the app is the implementation of modern payment instruments for e-commerce and mobile commerce. PAYGATE will be happy to help your business with this issue!