Dark Patterns are a variety of different software designs that are used to manipulate and mislead the users of an application or service. These patterns range from making it harder to end a subscription service, adding additional charges to a purchase, or having the user give out data or personal information. With how widespread and varied dark patterns are, it led to us creating a way to detect and warn users of different dark patterns. In this study, we created Dark Pattern Detector, a Chrome extension that would help users detect and understand three different dark patterns: Hidden Costs, Disguised Ads, and Sneak into Basket. This extension was made to detect each of these patterns on any web page while not requiring any information from the user or their data. Study participants installed the extension and completed a series of tasks given to them that would occur on different websites containing the previous dark patterns. After completing the tasks, the users were surveyed to give feedback on what they thought of the extension and what suggestions for change they had. In the study, we had 40 participants and we found that 50% of the users were completely unfamiliar with dark patterns and that 77.5% have used extensions before. For the five tasks, each one had a majority of the participants successfully complete them. Finally, when asked about what they thought, the majority of the participants gave positive feedback claiming that they found the extension useful, interesting, and a good idea. Many participants also gave useful feedback about what changes or additions they would like to see. With our results, we can help users have a better understanding of dark patterns and have created a baseline for any future research done on dark pattern knowledge and detection. / Master of Science / Dark patterns are designs on the internet that websites use to trick its users. They may be used to hide advertisements, make the user spend more time or money on their website or more. Our goal was to create a way to help protect anyone on the internet and their information. For this study, we created a program called Dark Pattern Detector that would help the users see different dark patterns that appeared on websites. A study was conducted that had the participants use our program and give us feedback on what they thought of it as well as data on how well it worked. Out of the 40 participants, we found that half the users were unfamiliar with what dark patterns were. Once they completed the study, we saw that the majority of users were able to complete tasks while using our program and gave positive feedback. Seeing the positive feedback and results from our study, we believe that we can help users not get tricked by these patterns and help forward future research on Dark Patterns.

The study is to establish whether there is any impact on the social media company that is implementing the deceptive design on the account deletion process. By conducting the qualitative research with Instagram users and analyzing users’ feelings, opinions, and potential actions, the study finds out using the deceptive design on account deletion process on social media has a weak influence on the social media company.

This study aims to address whether Swedish e-commerce websites use dark patterns in cookies and, if so, how they do it and what users think is ethically acceptable regarding this matter. Previous research has mainly focused on identifying dark patterns and the user experience aspect of cookies and dark patterns. In this study, a framework based on definitions of dark patterns from Brignull (u.å.b) and Forbrukerrådet (2018), was used to identify dark patterns in cookies through a content analysis on 30 of the e-commerce websites in Sweden with the highest economic turnover. What users consider to be ethically acceptable is examined through a survey with a total of 111 respondents. The results show that dark patterns are used to a large extent on Swedish e-commerce websites and out of eight examined dark patterns, an average of five dark patterns per website were identified. The results also indicate that the majority of users thought that dark patterns in cookies are ethically unacceptable, even though a certain part of the respondents also seemed to be more neutral set in the matter.

Dark Patterns är designmönster som används av företag i syfte att manipulera användare till att fatta beslut som de möjligtvis inte hade gjort annars och som inte gynnar deras egna intressen. Den här studien undersöker användarens upplevelse och perspektiv på dark patterns på en onlineresebyrås hemsida där dark patterns används flitigt. Dark patterns använder sig ofta av kognitiva biaser som utnyttjas hos användaren för att styra användaren till att fatta beslut som användaren inte hade avsikt att fatta, och som till följd kan påverka individens välfärd negativt. Dessa designmönster blir allt mer förekommande inom e-handeln, vilket väcker frågan hur etiskt användningen av dark patterns är. I dagsläget finns inga regelverk i Sverige som specifikt gäller användningen av dark patterns, däremot finns det regelverk som berör dark patterns, exempelvis de riktlinjer som den Europeiska dataskyddsstyrelsen har tagit fram gällande användandet av deceptive patterns samt Europaparlamentets direktiv om otillbörliga affärsmetoder. Forskningsfrågorna som ligger till grund för denna studie är: “Hur upplever internetanvändare dark patterns på onlineresebyråers hemsidor?” och “Hur påverkas användarens attityd gentemot onlineresebyråer som applicerar dark patterns?”. För att försöka svara på frågeställningarna har en kvalitativ kartläggning genomförts med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Studien undersöker hur fyra internetanvändare med stor resvana upplever dark patterns på en onlineresebyrås hemsida med hjälp av simulerade bokningsprocesser i form av förinspelade videor. Intervjuerna transkriberades och analyserades med hjälp av tematisk analys. Resultatet visade att deltagarna hade en förståelse att man som användare bör vara försiktig vid bokning av resor för att inte bli lurad. Denna urvalsgrupp betonar att de har vant sig vid ett flertal dark patterns och inte längre reagerar på dem. Däremot upplevdes dark patterns som både något som förhindrar en smidig bokning och som störande moment under bokningen. Studien tyder på att när deltagarna är medvetna om dark patterns upplever de dem också som störande och även oetiska. En överdriven användning av dark patterns verkar även skapa en negativ uppfattning om företag som använder dem. Studien visar även att ett överanvändande av dark patterns kan ha motsatt effekt på vad företagen som implementerar dem hoppas på; att användare snarare upplever negativa känslor som påverkar deras köpbenägenhet negativt. / Dark Patterns are design patterns used by companies to trick users to make decisions that they might otherwise not have done and may not be in the user’s best interest. This study investigates users' experience and perspective on dark patterns on an online travel agency’s website that frequently uses dark patterns. Dark patterns often exploit cognitive biases in the user to steer the user to make decisions that the user might not have intended to make, which could have a negative effect on the user’s welfare. These types of design patterns are becoming more and more common within e-commerce which has sparked the question of ethicality in the use of dark patterns. There are currently no regulations in Sweden that specifically cover dark patterns, but there are regulations that affect dark patterns, such as the guidelines The European Data Protection Board have established on the use of deceptive patterns as well as the European Parliament’s “Unfair Commercial Practices Directive”. The underlying research questions for this study are: “How do internet users experience dark patterns on online travel agencies’ websites?” and “How is the users’ attitude towards online travel agencies that apply dark patterns affected?”. In an effort to answer the research questions a qualitative survey has been done with the help of semi-structured interviews. This study investigates how four internet users perceive dark patterns on an online travel agency’s website with the help of simulated booking processes through pre-recorded videos. The interviews were then transcribed and analyzed through thematic analysis. The results show that the participants had an understanding of the need to be cautious during online travel booking to avoid being tricked or scammed. This selection group emphasizes that they’ve become used to a number of dark patterns and no longer react to them. Dark patterns that hinders a smooth booking are however seen as disruptive elements. This study indicates that the users perceive dark patterns as disruptive and unethical when they’re aware of the dark patterns being used. Excessive use of dark patterns also seems to create a negative perception on the company that uses them. This study also shows that an excessive use of dark patterns could have the opposite effect than desired by the company that implements them; that the user is inflicted by negative feelings that affect the users propensity to purchase negatively.

Technology has become ubiquitous in people’s everyday life. The number of websites and mobile applications available is growing, but so are various persuasive approaches to influence human behavior and decision-making in online environments. While designing for persuasion has many potential benefits, recent years have revealed different deceptive design techniques that utilize the understanding of psychological principles to nudge people in a desired direction. This thesis outlines and explores this phenomenon known as dark patterns, which favors business goals over user values. Practitioners have laid out many deceiving design strategies in the past, but it remains unclear how the end user perceives and experiences them. Therefore, a qualitative method approach was chosen to study the end users’ perspectives on the subject. The analysis of the data shows that even though there was some awareness, many manipulative techniques were unknown. Participants blame the businesses, remark however to be partly responsible for their own fate. In addition, the acceptability of such techniques shifts depending on the respective dark pattern.

Vad händer när en produkt eller tjänst försämrar konsumentens välmående och förtjänsterna ökar ju mer detta sker? Ett etiskt dilemma har uppstått inom digitala plattformar, däribland videoströmningsplattformar (VSP), på grund av detta. En genomgående trend för VSP:ar men också inom e-handeln och mobilappar har visat sig vara nyttjandet av manipulativ design i användargränssnittet, så kallade mörka mönster (eng. Dark Patterns). Inom VSP:ar har Autouppspelningsfunktionen och Rekommendationer utsetts som stora anledningar till att konsumenterna fortsätter att titta. Etiska riktlinjer för UX-designers (de som formar användargränssnitt) kan vara en möjlig väg från detta, andra åtgärder som diskuterats har varit att lagstifta eller lägga tron i att konsumenterna själva kommer att välja bort de plattformar som använder manipulativ design. I syfte att undersöka respondenters medvetenheten om-, förmåga att hitta- och medveten om den potentiella påverkan- och förmåga att hitta mörka mönster på VSP:ar genomfördes en onlineenkät (n=56). Resultatet för undersökningen visar att även om användare i viss mån är medvetna om- och har förmågan att hitta en del av de givna mönsterna bär dessa skyddsegenskaper ingen signifikant relation till att få användaren att undgå att bli påverkad av manipulationen. / What happens when a product or service impairs the consumer's well-being? And profits increase the more this happens? An ethical dilemma has arisen within digital platforms, including video streaming platforms (VSPs), because of this. A consistent trend for VSPs but also for e-commerce and smartphone apps has proven to be the use of manipulative design in user interfaces, so-called Dark Patterns. Within VSPs, the Autoplay feature and Recommendations have been cited as big reasons for consumers to keep watching. Ethical guidelines for UX designers (the ones who shape user interfaces) could be a possible way out of this, other possible measures are to create a legislation or add to the belief that consumers will opt out of those platforms that contain manipulative design. In order to investigate the awareness of-, ability to find- and influence gained despite awareness of- and ability to find dark patterns on VSPs, an online survey was applied (n=56). The result of the investigation shows that even if users are aware to a certain extent and have the ability to find some of the given patterns, these protective properties do not having a significant relationship with the respondent being able to avoid influence from the patterns.