Several websites and mobile applications around the world use “dark patterns”, which involve hiding or delaying the disclosure of information that can affect a consumer’s purchasing decision, and interface interference, techniques such as obscuring important information or pre-selecting options that frame information in a way that directs consumers to make more favourable decisions for the business.
The international survey, conducted by the International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) and the Global Privacy Enforcement Network (GPEN), was made public this July. It analysed 642 websites and mobile applications offering subscription services from companies around the world and in several languages. Almost 76 per cent of the websites and apps examined as part of the review employed at least one possible dark pattern, and almost 67 per cent used several possible dark patterns.
It was not reported whether these identified practices were used illegally or violated the laws of the affected countries.
Obscure patterns that could encourage users to compromise their privacy were examined. In this examination, almost all of the more than 1,000 websites and apps surveyed used a misleading design practice. More than 89 per cent of them used complex and confusing language in their privacy policies. Interface interference was another major offender here, with 57 per cent of platforms making the least protective privacy option the easiest to choose and 42 per cent using emotionally charged language that could influence users.
