Guest speaker Dr. Jen King, a Privacy and Data Policy Fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, provided a comprehensive overview of the Dark Pattern phenomenon in a recent webinar.
The webinar began by defining what constitutes a Dark Pattern and identifying common areas of occurrence, such as ecommerce, online shopping, privacy disclosures, and attention manipulation in gaming. Dr. King highlighted that Dark Patterns often emerge at decision points, where individuals must make choices. Notably, these manipulative techniques extend beyond the digital realm and manifest in the physical world, such as deceptive discount labels in supermarkets.
The evolution of Dark Patterns was discussed, citing A/B Testing as a key factor in their development. Through experiments designed to encourage increased purchasing behavior, companies refine the implementation of Dark Patterns. Dr. King also categorized different types of Dark Patterns, including asymmetric, conversion-focused, restrictive, and information-hiding patterns.
Practical examples were presented during the webinar, such as the automatic acceptance of privacy terms on platforms like Facebook when users click the “Create Account” button, illustrating the real-world implications of Dark Patterns.
Personally, the webinar proved to be immensely helpful, complementing my prior research on the topic. While I was already familiar with some aspects, the session introduced new insights, particularly in recognizing Dark Patterns in the physical world. The realization that even discounted prices can fall under the umbrella of Dark Patterns was a valuable takeaway. I am confident that the knowledge gained from the webinar will significantly contribute to the theoretical portion of my master’s thesis.
