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| Have you ever heard of dark patterns? They’re all across the web, and yet they intentionally fly under our proverbial radars. A dark pattern is a design trick on a website or an app intended to convince you to do something you probably wouldn’t have done otherwise. Most people skim the web, quickly reading and scanning to get the gist of something. Corporations use these browsing habits to design content, messages and buttons that trick you into choices that benefit their interests — not necessarily your interests.For example, maybe you signed up for a premium subscription service. It was really easy to sign up— just enter your credit card! But then when you want to cancel, it seems like you have to go through a million steps. Or maybe you saw a product you wanted to buy listed at $19.99, only to get to the cart and see a long list of fees added on right before you hit “submit order.” Consumer Reports is part of a coalition launching a brand new website to flag manipulative design tactics. This new site allows you to report suspicious apps or websites, and report if you’ve felt like you were tricked into giving up your private information, money or time. Working together, we can help hold corporations accountable for harmful design practices. Have you seen a dark pattern on the web or in an app? Tip us off here to help us hold companies accountable.Submit a dark pattern tip If you’re reading this email and are still totally unsure what a dark pattern is, that’s okay and you’re not alone! We’re holding an online workshop on May 25th to explain dark patterns in more detail and talk about how you can protect yourself from these manipulative tricks. Click here to join us at the Dark Patterns Online Workshop: May 25 at 1pm ET/10am PT. Learn more: RSVP for the workshop In order to hold companies accountable for their use of dark patterns on the web, we’re going to need to raise public awareness and compile a large list of tips on where these dark patterns are and how to spot them. That’s why this tip line and webinar are so important. If you can, please take action with us today. Either submit a dark pattern tip or RSVP for the workshop. Then, share this email with friends and family so we can get even more people involved.Thanks for helping out on this important consumer-driven research project. Amira Dhalla Consumer Reports | |
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(Contributed by Michael Kelly, H.W.)
