A new study by the Federal Trade Commission examines the “dark patterns” that subscription apps and websites use to extract more money or data from their users.
In fact, the term “dark pattern” in the FTC report refers to manipulative design techniques that are supposed to get users to do something they might not otherwise do or pay for something they might otherwise pay for. While not necessarily illegal, they are ethically questionable—and it’s good to be aware of them.
The FTC says it looked at 642 sites and apps that offer subscriptions earlier this year and found that nearly 76 percent of them used at least one dark mode, while nearly 67 percent used more than one.
These dark patterns include stealth (where the app hides the ability to cancel a subscription or turn off auto-renewal), obstruction (making it more difficult to perform a certain action, such as canceling), nagging (which is exactly what it sounds like), and more.
Hit play to learn more, then let us know what you think in the comments!