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Dark Patterns Tip Line
- mthoms 5y agoWhat a great initiative. Thank you Consumer Reports.
- dane-pgp 5y agoI was just thinking today that there should be a government agency devoted to maintaining a list of forbidden dark patterns, reported by consumers or employees. The precise system of warnings and punishments available would be up to the legislature to determine. I think the specific examples that prompted me to think of this were 1) remembering that companies temporarily over-price their goods so that they can later advertise a price reduction, and 2) remembering how packaging uses words like "ultimate" subjectively. Many countries probably have laws that already regulate pricing and advertising, and these aren't dark patterns in the same sense as the linked article, but I think that there should be stronger incentives for product managers to avoid manipulating potential customers.
- stevenicr 5y agoI like that they allow screenshots. I've taken tons of screenshots of these dark patterns that get on my nerves. Amazon's interruptions check out to offer free prime, student prime, and some other stuff - and the teeny tiny font to say no - come on! I'm trying to give you money to get stuff - don't make it so hard. Also, uhaul - omg - screen after screen of upsells - which aren't terrible things for one to consider - but the tiny continue text - Can't these be an accrddibility foul of some law when old eyes can't read it - and the wording - ! c'mon! "yes sign me up! " "No I don't want to be protected" Gimme a skip to cart button, quit with the stupid tricks. the language is as important as the size and ratio and button vs text, etc. /eases of soapbox might submit some.. An annotation tool or draw circles might be nice.