dark patterns in ux

Dark Patterns in UXA short guide to being evil

Who am I?

Dylan Thomas - @DylanLT (I’ve heard them all before)

User Experience Consultant for Box UK www.boxuk.com

What are Dark Patterns? An introduction to the dark side

Way back in 2010...Harry Brignull www.90percentofeverything.com

Dark Patterns: dirty tricks designers use to make

people do stuff

www.darkpatterns.org

Dark Patterns are...• Intentional anti-patterns • Designed with a good knowledge of human

psychology • Designed to manipulate or deceive the user • Tricks, traps and pitfalls

Psychology of Dark PatternsTools of the trade

Dark Triad

Narcissistic Psychopathic

Machiavellian

Machiavellianism

• Personal gain • Manipulation • Exploitation • Deception

Cognitive BiasesPeople’s tendencies to think a certain way, sometimes influencing them to make irrational decisions. !

• Heuristics - hard wiring in the brain • Motivations • Beliefs • Emotions

Cognitive Biases• Confirmation Bias • Ingroup Bias • Gambler’s Fallacy • Post-Purchase Rationalisation • Neglecting Probability • Projection Bias • Anchoring Effect

Why Dark Patterns are Used Why good designers go bad

Why Dark Patterns are Used• Aggressive environments and targets • Focus on simple KPIs

• More clicks • More sign-ups • More sales

• Blinkered view on success • Profit • Greed

Why am I telling you all this?Why it’s good to know the tricks

Why am I telling you all this?• If people know the tricks, they can avoid

falling for them • Companies can be shamed into changing

their practices • The psychology is interesting • It’s fun!

Roach MotelEasy to get in. Hard to get out.

Roach Motel An interface that makes it easy, and often enticing, for the user to get into a situation, but difficult for them to get out.

Roach MotelExample - Email newsletters • Make it very easy for a user to subscribe to

an email newsletter • Make the unsubscribe option difficult to find

• Bad navigation • Confusing forms • Multiple newsletters • Not have the option online at all

Forced ContinuityCancel at any time during the free period

Forced ContinuityA user signs up for a free trial of a service, but is asked for their credit card details. Once the free trial is over, the user is automatically billed. The user is not warned beforehand, and the site will often make it difficult to cancel (Roach Motel)

Forced Continuity

Hidden CostsWTF is a ‘convenience charge’?

Hidden CostsThe practice of adding on costs and charges at the end of a checkout process, that were not previously detailed.

Hidden Costs

• Facility charge • Convenience charge • Order processing fee • £2.50 to print out my own bloody tickets!

Trick QuestionTick this box to opt-out of not opting-in

Trick QuestionA question, when glanced upon briefly, appears to ask something one thing, but on closer inspection, is asking something else.

“We don’t read pages. We scan them” - Steve Krug

Trick Question

Trick Question

Trick Question

Trick Question

Disguised AdsDownload buttons, download buttons

everywhere.

Disguised AdsAdverts disguised as UI elements in order to trick users into clicking on them

Disguised Ads

Other Examples• Gambling

• Fruit machine design • “Snake oil” • Advertising • Retail • Inkjet printers • Banks and Credit Cards

Free to Play GamesAnd how cookies affect our resolve

Free to Play GamesVideo games that are free to acquire and play, but offer virtual items, currency, gameplay enhancements, and shortcuts for a price.

Free to Play GamesEgo Depletion Dr Roy Baumeister - Cape Western University

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

Free to Play Games

The Big Question

Should we use these techniques?• Yes • No • Maybe • It depends

Should we use these techniques?

User Experience should put the user first (In an ideal world)

Should we use these techniques?

Influencing the user isn’t always evil

and it’s rarely black or white

Should we use these techniques?

Pissed-off users are less likely to return

Should we use these techniques?

Business needs should be in line with the user’s needs

(In an ideal world)

To SummariseWhat I think about all this

To Summarise• Do be aware what you’re influencing the user

to do • Do have empathy • Do promote the benefits of user-centred design • Do have a holistic view of success • Don’t game the system • Don’t deceive the user • Don’t be evil

Thank you!Dylan Thomas - @DylanLT

South Wales Usability Discussion Group - @SW_UK