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LIST BELOW
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Deceptive Patterns (aka 'Dark Patterns')

Hundreds of examples of deceptive patterns used by companies around the world.

Amazon
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23
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Facebook
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22
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Microsoft
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16
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Twitter
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11
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10
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9
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9
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IndiGo manipulating emotions of users when booking flights to opt for travel insurance

Came across this “confirmshaming” dark pattern in the Indigo app when I was booking a flight. That’s when it “present users with opt-out labels that are worded in a derogatory or belittling manner, making users feel bad about choosing not to engage with the offered service”
IndiGo
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NCResq
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November 11, 2023
Google Workspace forcing users to sign up for the expensive free trial before downgrading to cheaper options

TIL: Crazy dark pattern for Google Workspace - it WILL not let me select the cheaper pricing plan when I'm signing up. After some research, I found out you have to signup for the expensive free trial and then search for the option to downgrade to the cheaper pricing plan.
Google
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bozo_eth
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November 10, 2023
Meta pushes user to “consent” to unrestricted use of their data

Meta’s new “consent” wall is scam that undermines the European Court of Justice’s ruling of July. This deceptive design pushes the user to “consent” to unrestricted use of their data. That includes intimate data that Meta obtains by tracking the user on other websites and apps.
Meta
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johnnyryan
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November 10, 2023
Lawdepot tricks users into annual contract

@harrybr I got charged £83.88 after a 7 day trial after clicking this. Wasn't expecting to be charged up front, but missed the PREPAID FOR ONE YEAR caveat
Lawdepot
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domparker
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November 3, 2023
Microsoft displays full screen forces ad pop-ups

Microsoft has started showing a fullscreen pop-up for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III when you boot up an Xbox today
Microsoft
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tomwarren
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November 2, 2023
Mack Club hides the recurring subscription information in the same color as background

Eric July lists the prices to his "Mack Club", but makes the "monthly" recurring label the same color as the background of the site, tricking users into entering a monthly subscription without realizing it.
Mack Club
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dickmasterson
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November 1, 2023
DoorDash now warns you that your food might get cold if you don’t tip

Orders without tips included ahead of time look less lucrative to drivers, meaning you might be waiting longer.
Doordash
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Jennifer Pattison Tuohy
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November 1, 2023
MoveHub uses tricky opt-in opt-out for promotional emails

@darkpatterns Classic dark pattern from @movehub
MoveHub
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daviddobrinskiy
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October 30, 2023
IndiGo confuses users to make seat selection purchases through deliberate omission

Mystery over @Indigo 's clever seat-purchase ploy unraveled. While the seat selection is not compulsory, following are the ways the airline has tried to benefit from confusing travellers through deliberate omission. I explain below
IndiGo
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jagritichandra
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October 26, 2023
Porkbun misleads users opting out by not presenting neutral options

Deceptive UX practices at @Porkbun during the approval process for an outgoing domain transfer.
Porkbun
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paulNL
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October 24, 2023
Samsung tricks users to accept all its new terms and conditions including optional ones

Dark pattern of the day. Samsung sent me a notification to accept the new terms and conditions. The form was designed in a way to trick you to accept all the terms, including optional marketing ones... took me ages to find out how I can change my answers...
Samsung
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mariapage
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October 23, 2023
Twitter Is Throttling Patreon Links, Creators Say It Undermines Their Livelihood

Twitter is now slowing down traffic on links to the crowdfunding site Patreon, WhatsApp, and at times, Meta’s Messenger app, a Markup analysis confirms.
Twitter
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Jon Keegan and Dan Phiffer
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October 16, 2023
SamCart makes it hard for users to unsubscribe and deactivate

Talk about a unwelcome UX dark pattern @samcartapp pulls when you try to unsubscribe & deactivate. Forces you to watch a video to cancel (and not to mention an addition confirmation step after that). Got to reduce churn, but I hate it from a user satisfaction standpoint.
SamCart
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WillPhillips
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October 13, 2023
Stripe makes it impossible for users to know its monthly costs leading users to pay more

Stripe is a great product but also employs a massive dark pattern. It's almost impossible to know how much you pay monthly to use Stripe. There are bunch of reports you can try to download to analyze fees, but as you turn on their additional services (Revenue Recognition, Sigma, etc) it's basically impossible to see a breakdown of what you're paying. If people easily saw what they paid Stripe monthly (spoiler alert, it's a lot), I bet Stripe would have more competitors.
Stripe
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sm
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October 12, 2023
The Fork misleads users to subscribe to emails with trick wording

The ol' one-two mixed opt-in opt-out dark pattern from the fork . com
The Fork
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pgl
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October 11, 2023
GameStop sued for adding hidden charges during checkout

Yesterday, GameStop was sued in a class action alleging that it sneaks shipping & handling charges into customers' carts at checkout. Consumers say they selected "FREE Shipping" but were charged for it anyway. They seek at least $5M in damages.
GameStop
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RobertFreundLaw
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October 10, 2023
Navi Mutual Funds forces users to accept sharing data to access their funds

Be extremely cautious/avoid investing in Navi Mutual Funds @navifinance @_sachinbansal They have suddenly made it mandatory to share your contacts and location with them to access your funds at all. Can't even withdraw. Complete breach of trust and privacy. Figuring out where to complain but I'm taking my investments away from them for sure. And they say they need it "for best offers" 🙄
Navi Mutual Funds
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shantanugoel
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October 9, 2023
Rotato tricks users to purchase a plan by luring them with free plans

How to lose my trust: - mess with the order of plans and break the left -> right' convention and try to get me for the most expensive option - imply I can start for free while the only option is to purchase a plan.
Rotato
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Goroh_co
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October 8, 2023
X rolls out new ad format that can't be reported, blocked

Twitter / X is serving users with a new ad format that can't be blocked or reported the ads aren't even actual X posts & aren't connected to any X accounts. they do not disclose that they are ads it appears the ads are connected to clickbait ad networks
Twitter
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Matt Binder
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October 6, 2023
German Cartel Office published its Google decision on dark patterns and how to fix them

Here is the full draft decision and commitments. Strongly recommend reading and sharing. I’ve long said U.S. enforcers should mirror this check on market power. It’s 30 pages clearly explaining G’s surveillance and dark patterns and how to fix them
Google
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jason_kint
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October 5, 2023
Miku Inc. tricks users into a monthly subscription

My $400 baby monitor has locked previously free features behind a monthly subscription. The app used to send push notifications when the baby woke up. Now I have to pay $10 per month for that privilege
Miku Inc.
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darkpatterns
|
October 4, 2023
Facebook and Instagram could charge for ad-free services in EU

A leading campaigner against Meta’s data practices said he would fight the proposals “up and down the courts” if the subscription fees were implemented
Meta
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Dan Milmo and Lisa O'Carroll
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October 3, 2023
Amazon presenting non-neutral options for refund

This is such a dark pattern by Amazon. They make it look like getting a refund to your original form of payment is not an option. Even though it is an option below but is not treated the same as other options.
Amazon
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mohitify
|
October 1, 2023
European Consumer Centre Greece Consent Management Platform makes it difficult to reject all cookies

so sick and tired of these dark patterns in consent management platform tools. 'Reject All' does not reject all. You have to click on legitimate interests and 'object all'. That this is on the website of a consumer advice centre is just 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️
European Consumer Centre Greece Consent Management Platform
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PrivacyMatters
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September 30, 2023
Air Canada forces its customers to receive promotional emails

It's a dark pattern to force your users, actually, your customers to agree with receiving promotional emails when they buy from you. There's no way to disagree with it except by not buying plane tickets from @AirCanada . I wonder if it's legal in Canada...
Air Canada
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fharper
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September 28, 2023
Dufresne Group Pays $3.25M CAD for Dark Patterns and Unsupported Pricing

TDG offered consumers products at inflated regular prices and then marketed the products at big discounts giving misleading impression that consumers were savings on those products. The Bureau found that TDG advertised urgent, limited time offers to consumers, including using tactics like countdown timers.
Dufresne Group
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Kelly Harris & Jane Huang
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September 28, 2023
FTC Sues Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power

Amazon’s ongoing pattern of illegal conduct blocks competition, allowing it to wield monopoly power to inflate prices, degrade quality, and stifle innovation
Amazon
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darkpatterns
|
September 27, 2023
Adobe tricks users into an annual contract

Guess what the billing period is for this Adobe license, as displayed on this "review your order" screen that appears before you commit? If you guessed "annual", you'd be correct, for some dumb reason. Adobe have really weaponised dark patterns in a truly user-hostile manner.
Adobe
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trawg
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September 27, 2023
Twitter 2FA premium subscription sign up doesn't actually take you into a subscription sign-up journey

This call to action is utterly disingenuous. It looks like you're being invited to add 2FA for security reasons. It's actually an advertisement for Twitter Blue (or whatever they're calling it these days).
Twitter
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darkpatterns
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September 27, 2023
Bundle Hunt adding hidden costs during checkout

@BundleHunt Eh, that's a bit of a sneaky dark pattern 🤔
Bundle Hunt
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iamj7e
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September 27, 2023
Select Blinds fined $10M for fake slashed prices, perpetual discounts and fake countdown timers

Does your ecom site use fake slashed prices, perpetual discounts, and/or countdown timers that reset? Select Blinds did. Now, they're paying $10M to settle a class action lawsuit filed in California.
Select Blinds
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RobertFreundLaw
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September 27, 2023
Lenskart sneaking a convenience fee during membership checkout

Convenience Fee for a membership @peyushbansal @Lenskart_com I would probably buy your membership at 49. Why do you have to switch and bait? I don’t care how sophisticated your app is, after this, you’ll be one of those companies that does scammy shit, for me at least.
Lenskart
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kalibuild
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September 27, 2023
Kayak automatically re-enables push notification settings after user disables it

Wow @kayak going hard on the Dark Patterns when I try to disable some push notifications and a magical ghost just pops them back on 👻
Kayak
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JesseSchoberg
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September 26, 2023
Blinkit using disguised advertisements by using same copy as system functions

IMO push notifications should not have the same copy as system functions. I also had not ordered anything. I saw this and thought someone was trying to call me and then realised it’s just a random notification.
Blinkit
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NCResq
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September 25, 2023
ChatGPT forces users to compromise on privacy by linking it to reduced functionality

Dark patterns are another issue. By default, ChatGPT users allow OpenAI to use their data for model training, exposing them to memorization risks. The opt-out interfaces unnecessarily link privacy with reduced functionality, and the more flexible control is hard to find and use.
ChatGPT
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tianshi_li
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September 25, 2023
Swiggy adding hidden costs during food order checkout

Holy moly. This is actual fraud and I found that @Swiggy is doing this even for me! Here's my last order and it adds up to 255.60. But they charge 259? This stinks. It can't be some random error, it seems to be on purpose to add rs. 3 extra. What's going on?
Swiggy
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deepakshenoy
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September 24, 2023
Facebook using trick working to target ads based on user activity

"Use this activity" is an unusual choice of words, huh. (screenshot from @facebook yesterday)
Facebook
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darkpatterns
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September 23, 2023
Fotor uses double negatives confusing users to opt-out of marketing advertisements

@darkpatterns this double-negative is a classic by now, thx @fotor_com
Fotor
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tuexss
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September 22, 2023
How Mastercard sells its ‘gold mine’ of transaction data

Mastercard knows where you shop, on what day, and how much you spend - and it sells that data widely to third parties like data brokers and advertisers. Our new investigation out today
Mastercard
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R.J. Cross
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September 20, 2023
Apollo makes its hard to cancel it's subscription by redirecting it to an unresponsive chatbot

Big time dark pattern by @MeetApollo when trying to cancel on their monthly self-serve plan. Cancel Plan button triggers a bot chat in order to cancel and then they don't respond 😑 @darkpatterns
Apollo
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thedbeaudoin
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September 19, 2023
LearnDesk makes it hard for user to cancel account for the past 3 years

It doesn't get more "sludge" than LearnDesk. Trying to cancel my account for the past 3 years. Now I finally get these instructions with a screen shot. Well, the "delete account" button does not exist on my profile.
LearnDesk
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c_a_gravert
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September 18, 2023
Twitter not labeling the advertisements attracting liability for non-disclosure

Twitter not marking ads as ads any more. I was wondering why this craptastic tweet was showing up in my TL. (It was an ad, just not marked as such)
Twitter
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RobertFreundLaw
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September 17, 2023
Google to pay $93m in settlement over deceptive location tracking

Tech giant ‘continued to collect and store a user’s location data’ even if users turned off their location history, according to suit
Google
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Johana Bhuiyan
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September 15, 2023
Irish Data Protection Commission announces €345 million fine of TikTok

TikTok fined €345 million and ordered to become legally compliant within 3 months. “The fine relates to non-private settings, lack of transparency and use of dark patterns.” 🙌
Tiktok
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darkpatterns
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September 15, 2023
Adobe makes it hard for users to cancel its subscription

Every year, Adobe sends me an email notifying me that they will increase the price of Creative Cloud from €29,99 to €52,06 per month (+44%!). And every year, I take the same steps to keep my old price: I pretend that I want to cancel my plan, stating it's "too expensive," and in the end, they offer a "special deal" for €29,99 for another full year.
Adobe
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bytebln
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September 15, 2023
Notion's subscription plan set to yearly instead of monthly without consent of users

What happens when a genius PM & UX designer work together at Notion? 👇 Backstory, I got $910 credits from Stripe Atlas to try out Notion. Cool, who doesn't like free credits! Finally, I used up all the credits and got charged $90. So I decided the party was over, let's downgrade the plan to free. But for some odd reason, the account is set to yearly, instead of monthly without my consent (Notion manually approves and applies the credit), and once I used up my credits. BOOOOM! My next invoice is set for Feb 2024 for a whopping $2,150.
Notion
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MrNick_Buzz
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September 15, 2023
Twitter is Still Throttling Competitors’ Links—Check for Yourself

The MarkUp has built a tool to see how much Twitter is throttling links to various sites. Conclusion - it’s doing it to all it’s competitors.
Twitter
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Jon Keegan, Dan Phiffer and Joel Eastwood
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September 15, 2023
Gatwick Airport website uses disguised advertisement to sign users up to a third-party monthly subscription

"By clicking above, you can join our partner programme for 15 pounds/month and claim your reward." This dialog is styled to look like part of the first party payment process, but in fact it's an advertisement for completesavings.co.uk.
Gatwick Airport
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darkpatterns
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September 13, 2023
Yoga Insurance obstructs users by making it hard to cancel their automatic renewal

This is @InsuranceYoga . You see this after you request to cancel automatic renewal. You're also required to enter a cancellation reason in a free text field. Viewing the discount takes you out of the cancellation journey - you have to start again if unhappy with the discount.
Yoga Insurance
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darkpatterns
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September 11, 2023
Order bars Intuit from engaging in deceptive practices in the future

Administrative Law Judge Issues Initial Decision in FTC’s Case Against Intuit Inc.
Intuit
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FTC
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September 8, 2023
Bluebird Group forces users to turn on OS notifications to use the app

You can't use @Bluebirdgroup app unless you turn on OS notifications.
Bluebird Group
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darkpatterns
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September 7, 2023
Programiz PRO disables unsubscribe page to prevent users from unsubscribing

@Programiz disabled the input and button on the unsubscribe page to prevent users from unsubscribing!? check it out at this link: programiz.pro/unsubscribe @darkpatterns
Programiz PRO
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khajimatov
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September 5, 2023
JPMorgan Chase Seeks to Prohibit Card Customers From Suing

Forced arbitration clauses are a fancy way for companies to force customers to waive their right to go to court when they’re cheated. And @JPMorgan @Chase just snuck them back into the fine print of their credit cards.
JPMorgan Chase
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walid
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September 1, 2023
JP Morgan Chase Forces customers to sign arbitration clauses to sign in

So @JPMorgan @Chase is forcing me into forced arbitration to sign into my account online. Anybody else seeing that?
JPMorgan Chase
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walid
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September 1, 2023
Users automatically enrolled in Amazon Prime subscription while choosing 'continue with Amazon Prime' delivery

I can't believe this dark pattern is still being used by @Amazon . If you're quickly clicking it looks like this button provides two options - continuing with Amazon Prime or continuing with normal delivery. If you do click this button by accident, you'll be automatically subscribed to Amazon Prime. There is no easy way to undo the subscription. So gross.
Amazon
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cameronsmith
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August 22, 2023
Peloton making users re-setup basic functionality to change their membership

Pausing your @onepeloton membership is really made to be a painful experience. Making you re-setup the bike to use basic functionality like you just formatted it. Plus the dark patterns just to change your membership.
Peloton
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chrislepensky
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August 22, 2023
The Sun (EU) uses a deceptive UI in its cookie dialog

Dark patterns in privacy. There are at least 3 problems with this EU-based cookie banner, can you spot them?
The Sun
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LuizaJarovsky
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August 22, 2023
Windows 11 has made the “clean Windows install” an oxymoron

‘This process is annoying enough the first time, but at some point down the line, you'll also be offered […] the "second chance out-of-box experience," , which will try to get you to do all of this stuff again if you skipped some of it the first time.’
Microsoft
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Andrew Cunningham
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August 22, 2023
Facebook requires group admins to manually remove every member from the group to delete a Facebook Group

Just found out that if you want to delete a Facebook Group you're in charge of, you have to manually remove every member one-by-one until you're the last one left, and then you have the option to remove/delete it. This is insanely asinine. 😠
Facebook
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PatFlynn
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August 21, 2023
Figma automatically charged its users when given file permissions

just got hit with my first surprise @figma billing where it added two editors to my bill and charged automatically when all I did was give them file permissions on one file. wild to me how a company who does so much good for the community still hasn’t fixed this dark pattern
Figma
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kyleturman
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August 19, 2023
YouTube accused of aiming ads at kids after promising it wouldn't do that

Adalytics alleges that YouTube appears to set long-lasting cookies specifically for users who are watching videos labeled "for kids." It also suggested that serves “targeted ads on YouTube videos that are clearly labeled as 'for kids.'"
Youtube
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Thomas Claburn
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August 18, 2023
Go on a date with a reporter to cancel your Wall Street Journal subscription

Wall Street Journal requires it users to go on a date with a reporter to cancel its subscription
Wall Street Journal
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soren_iverson
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August 18, 2023
Skype does not allow users a granular control of notifications

Skype is sending this notification once per day. For a communications app to abuse notifications in this way is unconscionable. Of course I can’t turn them off. I just have to endure the abuse. Absolute shame on Skype and Microsoft.
Skype
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benthompson
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August 18, 2023
Ekster held liable for using fake reference prices to run sales

Here's yet another class action about fake "sale" prices. Remember: using fake reference prices to run sales is illegal under the FTC Act and California's laws. This time, ecommerce wallet brand Ekster is in the crosshairs:
Ekster
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RobertFreundLaw
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August 17, 2023
Cancelling Amazon Prime: An interactive, behavioural remedy

Coglode Cures - Interactive Behavioural Remedies
Amazon
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Coglode - Cookbook
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August 17, 2023
Spaceship allowed upgrading of account but not downgrading

disappointed by the dark patterns I've encountered over at @spaceship ! pretty weak that you built the ability to upgrade your account but not downgrade.
Spaceship
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felixthehat
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August 17, 2023
YouTube Will Display a Blank Home Feed if Your Watch History Is Turned Off

You can choose to turn on your watch history to get recommended videos, or stick with a simpler home page.
Youtube
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Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
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August 9, 2023
Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August

Norway's data privacy watchdog has fined Meta $6.8 million for violating users' privacy by using their personal data to target ads as it failed to get users' consent to use data about their interests to serve them personalized ads.
Meta
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Betsy Reed
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August 7, 2023
Zoom terms now allow training AI on user content with no opt out

Users agree to allow Zoom to access and use their Service Generated Data for various purposes, including product development, marketing, analytics, and improving their services, in accordance with applicable laws and this Agreement.
Zoom
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darkpatterns
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August 6, 2023
HP cover's USB port to push people into wireless printing

Pay no attention to the USB port behind the “no USB” sticker. Is covering a printer’s USB port with a sticker to push people into wireless printing the worst thing HP does with its hardware? Not remotely.
HP
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Adi Robertson
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August 4, 2023
WeBuyAnyPhone pressurizes users with a fake countdown and a free trial to trap in a recurring subscription

A double whammy of deceptive patterns from webuyanyphone.com. First, a countdown timer pressuring you to "secure this value" by checking out quickly. Second, a £5 bonus if you sign up for a "free trial" of McAfee, which sets up a recurring subscription. cc: @darkpatterns
WeBuyAnyPhone
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DavidOfYork
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August 4, 2023
Scribd highlights "Keep Subscription" option over "Cancellation" tricking users

This is ridiculous and I hate when companies throw dark patterns at their users to try and trick them into staying subscribed to apps. Very uncool, @Scribd
Scribd
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nicheplays
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August 3, 2023
TheAthletic makes it hard to cancel subscription by highlighting other options

Enough with the BS dark patterns! @TheAthletic cc: @darkpatterns
The Athletic
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thedbeaudoin
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August 3, 2023
Twitter changes its 'Ad' icon placement to make it difficult to scan and easier to be scammed

The 'Ad' icon placement and wording has changed on Twitter. Because your eye usually automatically scans to the place where it used to be, it's easier to get scammed at the moment by ads like this. Worth being a bit more careful than usual.
Twitter
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danbarker
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August 3, 2023
British Airways deploys settings ignoring all user input with a default to the most privacy invading configuration

3/n Next I dealt with @British_Airways deceptive design pattern approach to pushing surveillance cookies (misleading emphasis) cc @darkpatterns
British Airways
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cpltalk
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August 3, 2023
Figma does not provide any unsubscribing option to its users

I thought the unsubscribe button might have been black on black but… there is literally none! @figma @darkpatterns
Figma
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mthvrs
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August 3, 2023
Comcast and Xfinity makes cancelling service harder by making users chat with agents and bots

Hei, @comcast / @Xfinity can we stop with the dark patterns? I just want to cancel service, I don't care to chat with your agents and your bot is just a loop. Just stop the service already.
Comcast
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Xfinity
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mihaimaruseac
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August 2, 2023
Daily Express forces users into accepting cookies by bundling them together

1/Hello @Daily_Express I notice you're using dark patterns in a dire 'cookie' notice. (a) Defaulted to 'I accept' which would trigger NINE HUNDRED & TEN third party 'partners (b) Clicking 'More options' takes you to window showing a number of purposes set to 'OFF' & a choice of
Daily Express
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PrivacyMatters
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August 2, 2023
Thrive with KP uses tricky legal language to threaten people to give their data

This is some creepy dark pattern bullshit from @kpthrive . They're using the legally required language to threaten people into allowing them to profit of health data sales and sharing by making it seem as though you are somehow giving up HIPAA protections in order to protect data
Thrive with KP
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spjika
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August 1, 2023
Humble Bundle makes it hard to cancel subscription through tricky language and greyed out options

Trying to skip a month of @humble Choice is a cacophony of @darkpatterns . Too many steps, alternating button colors to trick you into clicking the wrong thing, inconsistent language, etc.
Humble Bundle
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ItsCovarr
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August 1, 2023
Crunchyroll replaces the cancel button with a "keep subscription" button making it hard to opt out

new dark pattern dropped. Cant cancel your @Crunchyroll account if you replace the cancel button with a "keep subscription" button! X should do this, seems effective.
Crunchyroll
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BritonBaker
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July 31, 2023
Specscart uses manual check boxing as a means to unsubscribe from email preferences

@darkpatterns Nonsensical unsubscribe button and check boxes. Am I unsubscribing by checking or subscribing? (Specscart)
Specscart
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lenainbros
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July 29, 2023
Dominos cash back reward tricked into joining partner programme for 15 pounds/month

We should boycott companies like @Dominos_UK that use these kinds of predatory schemes to try and trick people into subscriptions they don't need. Frankly this should be illegal. Especially the dark pattern that makes it look at a glance like it's part of the order process.
Dominos
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PhonicUK
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July 28, 2023
FTC’s Secures $18.5 Million Settlement With Publishers Clearing House for Alleged Dark Pattern Sweepstakes Tactics

. @PerkinsCoieLLP shares details of the $18.5M settlement Publishers Clearing House reached w/ @FTC following allegations of deceptive practices, such as the use of patterns to encourage entries and purchases.
Publishers Clearing House
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Amanda Beane, Wonji Kerper & Nathan Kosnoff
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July 25, 2023
Shutterstock deploys recurring annual plans or termination with massive penalty

. @Shutterstock is seriously the worst. I didn’t even know I signed up for an annual sub the way they do dark patterns in their checkout, now they try to hold you hostage by paying $60 to cancel? I haven’t used this in 4 months you got way more than your $60. Awful service.
Shutterstock
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lissijean
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July 24, 2023
Patient Company using trick wording to continue collecting data

6/ It really is important to understand that if a person selects 'More Options' then 'Reject All', then 'Save & Exit', those action do NOT disable the 'Legitimate Interest' purposes. A person would need to select 'Legitimate Interest' then select 'OBJECT ALL' & 'Save & Exit'
Patient
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PrivacyMatters
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July 19, 2023
MasterClass greys out option to reject cookies titled "Edit cookie preferences"

@darkpatterns get a load of this slimy shit
MasterClass
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ivanbelcic
|
July 19, 2023
Meta uses surveillance based advertising

The Norwegian data protection authority is issuing a ban on Meta's use of surveillance-based advertising. Happy to see some actual enforcement of the GDPR!
Meta
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airavn
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July 17, 2023
A review of the manipulative design tactics used by Amazon to mislead consumers and keep them enrolled in Prime, according to the FTC

A few weeks ago, the FTC accused Amazon of using misleading design features to prevent consumers from cancelling their Prime subscriptions. Let’s break down some of the “dark patterns” the FTC identified:
Amazon
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TTP_updates
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July 10, 2023
The ‘Threads’ App is FILLED With Deceptive Dark Design Patterns – We Spotted More Than TEN - Yanko Design

The Threads app almost immediately displayed a whole bunch of dark patterns with its user interface. We spotted at least 11 of them, and we’re sure there are a lot more to come. Here are some highly evident dark tricks the Threads app is using to ensure you stay on the platform as long as you possibly can… and supply Meta with even more data than before.
Instagram
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Sarang Sheth
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July 7, 2023
Ultra Fast Keto Boost using fake scarcity and urgency to falsely urge customers to act quickly

Here's an example of how a false advertising claim about "limited supply" representations can survive a pleadings challenge: The makers of "Ultra Fast Keto Boost" ran ads claiming a "limited supply" and urging customers to act quickly.
Ultra Fast Keto Boost
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RobertFreundLaw
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July 7, 2023
Users are outraged and 'trapped' after realizing you can't delete Meta's new Threads app without deleting Instagram too

Apparently you can't delete threads without deleting Instagram. A new form of sludge! @jiayingzhao @R_Thaler @katy_milkman @ideas42 @CassSunstein @stuart_mmills @UofT_BEAR @avicgoldfarb @StephaneCoteTO
Instagram
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Charissa Cheong
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July 6, 2023
Adobe enrolls users into the subscription model using free trial

Dark pattern from @adobe . There’s no option to skip the trial and just use the free version, so the burden is on the user to remember to cancel.
Adobe
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MikeCalcagno
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July 5, 2023
Ubiquiti Inc application mandates creating an account to use while not so when accessed via the browser

Nice "dark pattern" there, @Ubiquiti . In the 'app', i MUST create a cloud account. But if I connect to the console via the browser, I can skip that step.
Ubiquiti
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leyrer
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July 5, 2023
SiriusXM Canada makes canceling subscription hard

It took over a half an hour of wasted time on the phone with @siriusxmcanada to cancel the other day. Called because of I must have said "please just cancel my account" at least 50 times. Ridiculous.
SiriusXM Canada
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fastpuppy
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July 5, 2023
Foot Locker creates false sense of urgency stating limited stock for its products

A lawsuit filed yesterday against Foot Locker accuses the brand of using a "false urgency" dark pattern—claiming items are running out of stock, when they aren't:
Foot Locker
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RobertFreundLaw
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July 4, 2023
Microsoft Edge used as default for links from Outlook app

If you have a Microsoft 365 Personal or Family subscription, browser links from the Outlook app will open in Microsoft Edge by default”
Microsoft
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darkpatterns
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June 27, 2023
Publishers Clearing House to refund customers $18.5 million in FTC settlement for ‘deceptive’ practices

This is our second dark pattern lawsuit over the last week,” Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said of the PCH lawsuit in a written statement. “Firms that continue to deploy deceptive design techniques are on notice.
Publishers Clearing House
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Greg Iacurci
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June 26, 2023
Sydney Morning Herald requires users to call for canceling their subscriptions

Classic @darkpatterns from @smh this should be illegal. Or, they can ask you to sign up over the phone too!
Sydney Morning Herald
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JoelDignam
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June 22, 2023
FTC sues Amazon over ‘deceptive’ Prime sign-up and cancellation process

Complaint PDF here:
ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/p
"Amazon used an internal term called “Iliad” to describe the process, referencing Homer’s epic poem about the Trojan War"
Amazon
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