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Don't forget their still live email signup approach. Clicking 'Signup" brings you to a single email form field screen that in no way indicates you do NOT need
by shostack 8y ago
Don't forget their still live email signup approach.
Clicking 'Signup" brings you to a single email form field screen that in no way indicates you do NOT need to provide an email.
Clicking 'Next' without entering one lets you create your username and PW without an email address.
As a marketer, I understand (but don't condone or agree with) the thinking behind some of what they've done, but as a user of over a decade, I'm nervous about the direction they've been taking the service, and this is not good news IMHO.
- hombre_fatal 8y agoPeople bring that up all the time, but I can't really think of fainter "dark pattern" criticism than an optional email field. I bet nobody would even comment on it if it was actually required. Reddit should probably just go ahead and require it to eliminate the complaints. Hell, I'm more ready to call it an easter egg than deception.
- shostack 8y agoI'd wager you are correct that if it were required, nobody would comment on it except existing Reddit users familiar with their more privacy-respecting leanings from their past (ie. not new users). The dark pattern is that there is zero indicator that it is actually optional and they appear to go out of their way to hide that fact. It is about being upfront with your intentions, and what you are offering users.