What are dark patterns? Examples of deceptive design in UX

Have you ever signed up for a free trial and forgotten to cancel it before being charged? Or struggled to find the button to delete an account? If so, you've probably encountered a dark pattern. These deceptive design techniques influence users into making decisions they might not otherwise make, often without realizing it.

Every day, you make dozens of decisions online. You accept cookie banners, subscribe to newsletters, compare products, and sign up for new services. Most of these interactions are straightforward. Some, however, are carefully designed to steer you toward a particular action.

Dark patterns, also known as deceptive design patterns, are clever methods web designers use to trick us into doing things we don’t want to do. Sometimes they are almost invisible due to their subtlety, while other times they cause frustration and irritation. These are unethical techniques introduced to the site intentionally to deceive users and force them to agree to things they would not normally want to do. They often rely on hidden information, confusing layouts, emotional pressure, or unnecessary friction. Their goal is to make them accept unwanted subscriptions or make larger purchases, at the same time, they should have a subtle impact on users, should not be jarring, and should not hinder the use of the website.

The term "dark patterns" was introduced by UX designer Harry Brignull in 2010. Today, many designers, researchers, and regulators prefer the term deceptive design because it more clearly reflects the manipulative nature of these practices.

Regardless of how subtle they are, their purpose remains the same: influencing your choices without making that influence obvious.

Dark patterns work because they take advantage of how people make decisions. When you're shopping online, signing up for a service, or browsing a website, you rarely analyze every button and every line of text. You rely on shortcuts and assumptions.

Designers know this. By creating urgency, hiding important information, or making one option much more visible than another, companies can influence your decisions without forcing you to do anything. Many businesses use these techniques to increase:

The problem is that short-term gains often come at the expense of trust.

Have you ever encountered an attempt to make you feel guilty when you wanted to leave a newsletter? Or when you didn't want to use a discount and were accused of not wanting to save money? This is the dark pattern in its emotional version. Creators, relying on emotions, want to force the user to stay on the site longer, to return to the game (does the green multilingual owl mean something to you?) or to add more products to the basket to get a discount? The companies also try to make you feel FOMO with questions like "Do you really want to cancel? You'll lose access to everything!". The goal is to create enough discomfort that you change your mind and stay subscribed, continue shopping, or remain engaged with the service.

Colorful, aesthetic graphics that pop up while browsing a website are another way to deceive the user. This can be called in one word - misdirection. This tactic aims to manipulate the user's attention so that they make the decision that is most beneficial for the website. Information about additional costs is hidden and appears only when finalizing the order, or the website does not show a cheaper offer, which is more profitable for the customer. In mobile apps, this is manifested by promoting a free trial period with very well-hidden information about automatic payment after its end. The goal is simple: make one choice feel obvious while making alternatives harder to notice.

Insect trap in UX? Of course. The simplest example is registering on a website, which takes a minute or even a few seconds if we use the Google login option, but deleting an account is a real challenge. In this way, we often get stuck in a given website, like in a maze, because resignation requires clicking through several pages, where the website tries to stop us from using the confirmshaming described above. The roach motel pattern describes services that make registration quick and convenient but turn account deletion or cancellation into a frustrating process.

Forced Continuity is one of the most insidious dark patterns, which involves automatically renewing a subscription without the user's explicit consent or prior reminder of the charge. The subscription will start when you click the "Start Free Trial" button, we will not receive a reminder about the end of the trial period and the fee will be charged automatically. Sound familiar? That's because many companies intentionally design their services so that the user forgets to cancel the free trial or has difficulty canceling, see: misdirection. Once again, we are trapped in a devious maze, and money is flowing out of our account.

Have you ever seen a countdown timer telling you a promotion ends in five minutes? Or a message claiming that only two items remain in stock? These tactics create a sense of urgency and encourage quick decisions. When people feel they might miss an opportunity, they're less likely to compare options, read the details, or think carefully before making a purchase.

Another example is the product page with an inscription on how many people are currently interested in exactly the same purchase or how little of it is left in stock! There is no time, we have to act and buy!

Dark patterns continue to evolve, but many of them share similar warning signs. Be cautious when you encounter:

A few extra seconds spent reviewing the details can help you avoid many common traps. If something feels intentionally confusing, it is worth taking a closer look before clicking "Continue."

Dark patterns can appear on both poorly designed websites and beautifully crafted digital products. The more familiar you are with deceptive design techniques, the easier it becomes to recognize them and make choices that truly reflect your intentions.

While deceptive design may improve certain metrics in the short term, it can also damage user trust and create friction where there should be clarity. People are more likely to stay loyal to products that are transparent, easy to use, and respectful of their choices.

In the long run, responsible design builds the trust that sustainable growth depends on. Working with experienced product design specialists helps turn that principle into clear, user-friendly digital experiences. Contact us!