« Dark patterns »: A better understanding of misleading interfaces

Introduced in 2010 by Harry Brignull, a customer experience specialist, in the wake of the e-commerce boom, the term “Dark pattern”, also known as “deceptive interface”, “deceptive design” or “deceptive design mechanism”, is a web interface that tricks the user by displaying misleading and manipulative messages.

The aim is to steer Internet users towards choices they would probably not have made in full knowledge of the facts, and which are not in their interest but in that of the site they are visiting.

In terms of personal data protection, these practices result in a much greater collection of information and make it more difficult for the people concerned to exercise their rights.

To continue reading, you can download the factsheet here