Hunter Storm | How to Recognize and Avoid Dark Patterns in UX/UI

How to Recognize and Avoid Dark Patterns in UX/UI (User Experience / User Interface)

Have you ever felt tricked into signing up for something, subscribing to emails you didn’t want, or struggling to cancel a service? That’s not an oversight or bad design. That’s intentional design tricks at work. These tricks are known as “dark patterns.” This article will teach you how to recognize and avoid dark patterns in UX/UI.

This guide will help you spot and avoid these deceptive tactics so you can take back control of your online experience.

What Are Dark Patterns?

Dark patterns are design tricks used by websites, apps, and platforms to control user behavior. Companies use them to entice and trap users, collect data, and boost profits at your expense.

A dark pattern is a misleading or manipulative design element that tricks users into doing things they don’t want to do. For example, if a website makes something easy to sign up for but hard to cancel, that’s a dark pattern. You may want to check out the website before signing up. Read our post, How to Tell If a Website is Legitimate Before Entering Your Info for more tips.

How to Avoid the Most Common Dark Patterns

There are several common types of dark patterns in digital design. They are used in applications, platforms, and websites. Here are just a few of the dark patterns that can trick users, and what to do about them.

“Roach Motel” | Easy to Sign Up, Hard to Cancel

Like the old pest control bait commercial with the slogan, “Roaches check in but they don’t check out,” users check in but they can’t check out.

Example: You can subscribe to a service in seconds, but canceling requires calling customer support, filling out forms, or navigating multiple pages.

How to Avoid It:

Search online for “How to cancel [service]” to check how difficult it is before you sign up.
Use virtual credit cards for trial subscriptions so you can cancel payments easily.

Sneaky Pre-Checked Boxes

Online forms are already filled out with certain options for your convenience.

Example: When signing up for something, boxes are pre-checked to opt you into marketing emails or extra charges.

How to Avoid It:

Always scan forms carefully before clicking “Submit.”
Uncheck boxes manually before finalizing purchases.

Hidden Fees & Drip Pricing

This is the “too good to be true” pricing. One company seems to undercut all the others based upon having the lowest price. However, a deeper dive into the pricing at the checkout shows the price may actually be higher than other providers.

Example: Airlines, hotels, and event ticket sites show a low price at first but add hidden fees at checkout.

How to Avoid It:

Check final pricing carefully before paying.
Use price comparison tools to see full costs upfront.

Misdirection & Confusing Buttons

You navigate to an online page, but can’t find what you’re looking for. Every option is easy to find and read, except the one you’re looking for.

Example: A website has a huge, bright “Yes” button and a tiny, hard-to-see “No” button for declining offers.

How to Avoid It:

Slow down and read carefully before clicking anything.
Use browser extensions like “UBlock Origin” to block deceptive pop-ups.

“Confirmshaming” | Guilt-Tripping Users

Every try to cancel a subscription and find it harder than breaking up with a too-sweet partner?

Example: When trying to unsubscribe, the site asks, “Are you sure? You’ll miss out on exclusive offers!” or forces you to select a reason like “I hate saving money.”

How to Avoid It:

Ignore emotional manipulations and tick to your original decision to cancel or unsubscribe.
Search “How to unsubscribe from [service]” for direct links.

Forced Account Creation

You just want to buy something, but the online site won’t let you purchase unless you become a member.

Example: Some websites won’t let you check out or view content without creating an account.

How to Avoid It:

Use guest checkout when available.
Use a temporary email (like 10minutemail.com) for one-time access.

Why Do Companies Use Dark Patterns?

Because they work. Companies design these tricks on purpose to:

Boost profits by making cancellations difficult.
Harvest more personal data through forced sign-ups.
Increase engagement by making users feel trapped.
The bad news: Dark patterns are legal in many places.
The good news: Knowing about them helps you fight back using the tactics listed in this article.

How to Protect Yourself from Dark Patterns

Be Skeptical: If something seems too complicated, the company wants it that way.
Read Before Clicking: Watch for pre-checked boxes and sneaky wording.
Use Privacy Tools: Extensions like Privacy Badger block tracking and deceptive pop-ups.
Check Reviews: Search “Is [service] hard to cancel?” before signing up.
Use Virtual Cards: Services like Privacy.com let you create burner cards for free trials.

Take Back Control of Your Online Experience

Companies design dark patterns to manipulate users. Now you know how to spot and avoid dark patterns in UX/UI. Be cautious, read carefully, and use privacy tools to protect yourself. Your attention and data are valuable. Don’t let companies trick you into giving them away.

Glossary

Confirmshaming: Using guilt or shame to discourage users from making a decision (like unsubscribing).
Dark Pattern: A design trick that manipulates users into making decisions they wouldn’t normally make.
Drip Pricing: A deceptive pricing strategy where fees are added gradually during checkout.
Roach Motel: A system where sign-ups are easy, but cancellations are deliberately hard.
Virtual Credit Card: A temporary card number that prevents unwanted recurring charges.

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