Dark Patterns: How design seeks to control us | Sally Woellner | TEDxSydney

Summary

The speaker delves into the evolution of design, particularly in the digital realm, highlighting the rise of UX Design and its potential dangers. They introduce 'dark patterns,' manipulative design tactics used to control user behavior, such as 'confirmshaming' and 'misdirection.' Examples include Duolingo's guilt-inducing owl and StubHub's hidden fees. The talk also touches on the use of color psychology and notification algorithms to increase engagement, leading to 'privacy Zuckering,' where personal data is exploited. The speaker calls for awareness, ethical design, and accountability from tech platforms.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The evolution of design has shifted from aesthetics to user experience (UX), focusing on how users interact with technology.
• 🛠️ UX designers aim to make digital spaces more user-friendly, but can also manipulate user behavior through 'dark patterns'.
• 🚫 'Dark patterns' are manipulative design tactics used to influence user behavior without their full awareness.
• 🐾 'Confirmshaming' is a dark pattern where users feel guilty for canceling services, using emotional design to retain them.
• 👀 'Misdirection' hides important information and draws attention to less relevant details to guide user decisions.
• 💳 Platforms can increase sales by hiding fees until the last moment, exploiting user urgency and lack of attention to terms.
• ❤️ The color red and other visual cues are used to grab attention and increase engagement, mimicking the effects of gambling mechanics.
• 🎰 Social media platforms like Instagram use algorithms to withhold notifications, creating a sense of anticipation and reward.
• 📝 'Trick questions' in terms and conditions can mislead users into agreeing to unfavorable terms without realizing it.
• 🔒 'Privacy Zuckering' combines various dark patterns to extract more personal information from users than intended.
• 🏛️ Recent legislation in the EU and UK has started to outlaw particularly exploitative dark patterns due to public demand.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of a UX Designer according to the transcript?

A UX Designer's primary goal is to design the way users interact with technology, products, and apps, making digital spaces easier, more delightful, and sometimes more addictive.

What are 'dark patterns' in the context of design?

Dark patterns are manipulative tactics used by designers to influence user behavior in ways that are often not in the user's best interest.

Can you explain the term 'confirmshaming' as mentioned in the transcript?

Confirmshaming is a dark pattern where designers use emotionally charged language and design to make users feel guilty about canceling a service or leaving a platform.

What is 'misdirection' in the context of dark patterns?

Misdirection is a dark pattern where designers hide important information and draw attention to less relevant details to manipulate users into behaving in a certain way.

How does the color red play a role in dark patterns as described in the transcript?

The color red is used to grab attention and increase heart rate, and it's been shown to increase click-through rates, as demonstrated by HubSpot's experiment with button colors.

What is the psychological effect that Instagram's notification algorithm is designed to create?

Instagram's notification algorithm is designed to create a sense of unease, disappointment, and anticipation, followed by a rush of dopamine when the withheld likes are suddenly revealed.

What is a 'trick question' in the context of dark patterns?

A trick question in dark patterns refers to ambiguous or misleading choices presented to users, such as unclear options to cancel an account, which can lead to users unintentionally providing more information or continuing a service.

What is 'privacy Zuckering' and how does it relate to dark patterns?

Privacy Zuckering is a dark pattern where designers combine various manipulative techniques to get users to reveal more personal information than they intended, often without their full awareness.

How do data brokers use personal information according to the transcript?

Data brokers collect and sell personal information, which can be used to classify people into groups and target them with specific marketing, sometimes leading to discriminatory practices.

What is the role of attention in the business model of platforms like Facebook as described in the transcript?

Attention is the most valuable commodity for platforms like Facebook. By keeping users engaged, they can gather more data, sell it to data brokers, and serve personalized advertising to make more money.

What action does the speaker suggest users take to avoid falling victim to dark patterns?

The speaker suggests users hold platforms accountable, choose products that use data ethically, visit darkpatterns.org for awareness, and raise their voice to influence legislation against predatory dark patterns.