Catalog of Dark Patterns

The Dark Patterns Hall of Shame was created by a team of researchers and designers to raise awareness about manipulative design techniques used by companies and websites. There are lots of visual examples of dark patterns — including hard-to-cancel subscriptions, hidden costs, nagging, and tricky wording. I wasn’t at all surprised to see Amazon Audible as a repeat offender. Although it’s called a “hall of shame,” the aim isn’t just to call out bad companies. The website serves as a cautionary guide, offering suggestions for better approaches, examples of what to avoid, and explanations of what isn’t a dark pattern (and why). — CD