Dark patterns are manipulative design tactics that trick users into actions they didn't intend. Your job: identify the dark pattern type and suggest an ethical alternative!
Guilt-tripping users
Surprise charges
Easy in, hard out
Hard to cancel
Misleading actions
Ads look like content
Term coined by Harry Brignull, 2010
Dark patterns are interface tricks deliberately designed to manipulate users into doing something they wouldn't choose to do with full information, like signing up for a subscription they can't easily cancel.
UX researcher Harry Brignull coined the term in 2010 and began cataloguing recurring tactics such as confirmshaming, forced continuity and the 'roach motel' pattern, where it's easy to get in and hard to get out.
Ethical alternatives exist for every dark pattern: clear pricing instead of drip pricing, a visible cancel button instead of a hidden one, and opt-in defaults instead of pre-checked boxes that trick users into unwanted purchases.