– Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
While movies used to captivate us for hours as kids of the generation Z, today we give our undivided attention to social media. And we do not always do this consciously. The days when linear television made decisions for us are over. Instead, we are almost helplessly exposed to a flood of information. A glance at our phone is enough and we find ourselves in more than just one world.
But how do social platforms like Instagram manage to keep us on them for hours at a time and even make us dependent on them? – One answer to this are DARK PATTERNS. Dark patterns are manipulative design techniques used in user interfaces to lead people towards certain actions, such as making a purchase or sharing personal information. These techniques can be found on various platforms, including Instagram.
One example of a dark pattern on Instagram is the use of “endless scrolling.” This is when the platform uses an algorithm to continuously show users more content, even after they have viewed all of the posts in their feed. This can lead to a never-ending cycle of browsing and can cause users to spend more time on the platform than they intended. The endless scrolling can also lead to feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out) as users are constantly exposed to new content. It can also be used to keep users engaged with the platform by displaying interesting content they might have missed before. But this endless scrolling has also been known to affect users’ mental well-being, creating the feeling of not being able to disconnect or feeling overwhelmed.
Overall, dark patterns on Instagram can be used to manipulate users into taking actions that they may not have intended to take. It is important for users to be aware of these techniques and to exercise caution when using the platform.
