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Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

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Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#81

Post by jonas21 »

fpig wrote: post #17

The worst one is probably trying to make it hard for users to stop paying for a service, like cancelling a subscription. That shit should be punishable by literal prison time.

Companies are required to provide California residents with an easy-to-use mechanism for cancelling subscriptions, and any subscription that you sign up for online must be cancellable online [1].

This actually works quite well. I've had no trouble cancelling any subscriptions in the past few years, including the New York Times, which took maybe 3 or 4 clicks from the account screen (IIRC, there was an optional "why are you cancelling?" screen, then they offered a discount, and that was it).

[1] https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtm...

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#82

Post by raverbashing »

lima wrote: post #51

Slack has a fun dark pattern - they purposefully remove functionality from their web app to make you install their native app. The web app has a workspace switcher sidebar, but it only appears on ChromeOS, where you can't install the native client. https://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/144258/slacks-we...

Oh so taken from the same page as the Reddit App it seems

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#83

Post by Mixtape »

chiefofgxbxl wrote: post #8

Windows 10 does not respect the "default browser" setting when opening web-based content through apps. For example, clicking on "Help" links or search results from the start menu always opens in Edge. This seems far worse than their IE-bundling issue back in the day... at least users have a few web browsers to choose from, but what good is that when user preference is overridden?

Microsoft adding promotional material for Edge above the search results for "Google Chrome" in Edge also further reinforces this.

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#84

Post by FredPret »

ChrisMarshallNY wrote: post #47

I had an experience a couple of days ago with exactly this type of thing (I downloaded the comment form, and I'll send it in). In this case, it nearly cost the app maker a sale (I doubt they'll go out of business on the loss of my sale. As it happened, they didn't actually lose the sale). I wanted to ID some of the plants in my yard, looking for native vs. introduced, so I downloaded a couple of apps. One was a good…

I’ve tried some ML plant ID apps and they were all totally off. What’s this good one called, if you don’t mind saying?

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#85

Post by rawtxapp »

fpig wrote: post #17

The worst one is probably trying to make it hard for users to stop paying for a service, like cancelling a subscription. That shit should be punishable by literal prison time.

Just use Privacy's virtual cards to sign up for services. If a service doesn't let you cancel, just cancel the card itself. That's what I've been doing.

Of course, it's a different story if you signed some kind of contract, but for the pay-montly kind of things, it's a no brainer. You also keep your real cards number private in case the service gets hacked and Privacy doesn't seem to check the name, so you can give a fake name to the service.

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#86

Post by litoorachure »

shiftpgdn wrote: post #44
dmix wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

About 10yrs ago NBA did this to me. They made it impossible to cancel a $99/m sub. Their instructions were login and go to the cancel button but the cancel button was broken and said call this number. But no one ever picked up the number. I will never buy a NBA branded thing after that obvious bullshit scam.

New York Times does this also. As far as I can tell it's literally impossible to cancel a subscription. I had to close the card attached to my account.

I don't think that's accurate today. I recently cancelled my NYT subscription from their website, didn't even need to call them.

How long ago was your experience?

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#87

Post by Trasmatta »

Mixtape wrote: post #71
lima wrote: post #51

Slack has a fun dark pattern - they purposefully remove functionality from their web app to make you install their native app. The web app has a workspace switcher sidebar, but it only appears on ChromeOS, where you can't install the native client. https://webapps.stackexchange.com/questions/144258/slacks-we...

Reddit is just as guilty of this. If you want to see all the comments on a thread on their mobile site, you're pushed to install their official app and presumably create an account when doing so. As far as I can tell, the best workaround is to use the desktop site.

Not just the website, but the old.reddit version. The new Reddit design is a disaster in terms of usability.

I also disable all custom subreddit styles, because so many of them are horrible.

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#88

Post by mekkkkkk »

inglor_cz wrote: post #72
lostlogin wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nicely timed, thank you. They have a sale on I was contemplating taking up. Nope.

I heard that as far as web cancellation of NYT goes, the Cancel button magically appears if you enter your location to be in California.

If that's true that is real scummy. Someone should investigate with a VPN.

Re: Request for comments regarding topics to be discussed at Dark Patterns workshop

#90

Post by sandermvanvliet »

crmd wrote: post #54
mimsee wrote: post #11

Ecommerce sites showing a "27 people are watching this right now" alongside the product but from source code it turns out to be a Math.random()

It’s fun to imagine the implications of dramatically raising the standard for commercial speech, such that statements which intend to mislead are prohibited.

I worked at a large online retailer in NL that got told they needed to change their delivery promise because that’s not a promise you can actually keep. So it does happen, but probably not often enough.
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