Theories of Deceptive Design Patterns

The foundation for the starting point of the work is the “Dark patterns Taxonomy”, developed by Harry Brignull, which provides a detailed classification of different types. (Brignull, 2011) Additionally, there are several explanatory approaches or theories that have been proposed to explain the use of dark patterns in user interface design. One theory is that dark patterns are the result of a conflict between the interests of the designers, who are often motivated by profit or other commercial goals, and the interests of the users, who may not be aware of the manipulation. This theory suggests that designers use dark patterns because they are more effective at achieving their goals than other, more transparent methods of persuasion. (Fogg, 2003, p. 16)

Another theory is that dark patterns are the result of a lack of ethical awareness or consideration on the part of designers. This theory suggests that designers may not be intentionally trying to deceive or manipulate users, but rather they may be unaware of the potential negative consequences of their design choices.

There has been much debate in the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) about the ethical implications of dark patterns and the role of designers in promoting or preventing their use. Some HCI researchers argue that designers have a responsibility to consider the ethical implications of their work, and to design interfaces that respect the autonomy and well-being of users. (Harris & Light, 2012, p. 51) Others argue that it is not the role of designers to dictate user behavior, and that users should be empowered to make their own decisions about how to interact with technology.

There are several principles that have been proposed to guide the ethical design of user interfaces, including transparency, fairness, choice, and respect for user autonomy. These principles can help designers to create interfaces that are more transparent and less manipulative, and that give users more control over their interactions with technology.

Persuasion is the act of influencing someone’s beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors through communication. It is a common goal of marketing and advertising and is often achieved by various techniques such as appeals to emotion, appeals to authority, and framing. In the context of dark patterns, persuasion is used to manipulate users into performing actions that they might not otherwise perform and is often achieved through deceptive or manipulative techniques. (Hassenzahl & Tractinsky, 2006, p. 92)

Sources:

Brignull, Harry. ‘Dark Patterns: Deception vs. Honesty in UI Design’. A List Apart (blog), 1 November 2011. http://alistapart.com/article/dark-patterns-deception-vs.-honesty-in-ui-design/.

Fogg, B. J. ‘Persuasive Technology: Using Computers to Change What We Think and Do’. Ubiquity 2002, no. December (December 2002): 2. https://doi.org/10.1145/764008.763957.

Harris, J, and B Light. 2012. “Ethical Design and the Responsibility of HCI.” Interactions 19 (5): 50-53.

Hassenzahl, M, and N Tractinsky. 2006. “User Experience – A Research Agenda.” Behaviour & Information Technology 25 (2): 91-97.

Deceptive Design Patterns – State of Research

As a designer, it is important to be aware of the potential for deceptive design patterns and to avoid using them in your own work. As UX designer Harry Brignull explains, “dark patterns are interfaces that are designed to trick people into doing things they might not otherwise do” (Brignull, 2010).

Furthermore, using dark patterns can have serious negative consequences for users. These design techniques are often designed to trick users into taking actions that they might not otherwise have taken, such as signing up for a subscription or making a purchase. This can lead to situations where users feel deceived or frustrated, which can damage their overall experience of the product or service (Nunes et al., 2018).

On a broader level, the use of dark patterns can also contribute to a culture of mistrust and skepticism among users. As more and more products and services employ these manipulative design techniques, users may become increasingly wary of interacting with digital products and services (Cheshire & Fox, 2014).

Research on deceptive design patterns is ongoing, and there is currently no consensus on the best ways to avoid them. However, some sources recommend following ethical design principles and considering the potential consequences of your designs on users. For example, the Nielsen Norman Group, a user experience consulting firm, offers professional insights and some principles on how to avoid deceptive design patterns, such as being transparent about the goals of your design, avoiding manipulations that could harm users, and giving users control over their own actions. (NNGroup, 2021)

My own work will build on this and add up on not only understanding what makes deceptive design patterns unethical or how to avoid them, but also on how they can easily be reversed and turned back into user-friendly designs.

Sources:

Brignull, H. (2010). Dark patterns: 10 examples of online trickery. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2010/jun/18/dark-patterns-examples-online-trickery

Cheshire, C., & Fox, S. (2014). The dark side of user-centered design. Communications of the ACM, 57(7), 24-26.

NNGroup. “The Role of Design Ethics in UX”. July 2, 2021. Conference Recording, 4:24. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cySX_CmFGcc

Nunes, J., Cunha, J., Verissimo, P., & Lopes, J. (2018). Dark patterns: A dark side of user experience design. In Proceedings of the 2018 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1-14). ACM.