Dark patterns and digital accessibility

Dark patterns are design patterns that aim to manipulate and push users into a certain action that may not be in their best interest. While the fight against dark patterns is getting more and more attention, we should also keep in mind the importance of digital accessibility. After all, these two issues are closely linked and play a central role in creating an inclusive online experience for all users.

Article Content

  1. What are Dark Patterns
  2. The implications for digital accessibility:
  3. Regulation and education:
  4. Conclusion:
  5. Read more

What are Dark Patterns

Dark patterns can occur in many ways. One example is known as Bait and Switch, where a company intentionally promotes a particular action, such as buying a product, and then changes the terms unnoticed. Another type of dark pattern is the 'Roach Motel', where it is made easy for users to sign up or subscribe, but extremely difficult to cancel the account or end the subscription. These manipulative tactics aim to hold users captive and influence their decisions, often to the benefit of the company but at the expense of the user.

Dark patterns are also simple manipulations like suggesting a small inventory, a temporary discount or artificial unnecessary time limits. Basically, they are all the easy marketing tricks we see in long-running commercials.

Other patterns we find in texts: As copywriters, we should have the desire to be understood and to treat the reader with respect. Unfortunately, we often do neither: Complex texts are designed to make the reader feel stupid.

The implications for digital accessibility:

Dark patterns not only pose an ethical challenge, but also have implications for digital accessibility. Accessibility refers to making digital content and technology accessible to persons with disabilities. The use of dark patterns puts persons with disabilities at an additional disadvantage. An example of this is the use of captchas to verify whether a user is a human. For persons with visual impairments who rely on screen readers to understand the content of a website, captchas can present an insurmountable hurdle. In addition, complex and confusing navigation systems, often found in dark patterns, can be a major barrier for persons with cognitive impairments or learning difficulties.

Designers and developers should be aware of how their decisions and designs can affect persons with different abilities. Avoiding dark patterns and incorporating accessible design practices can help ensure that websites and applications are accessible to all users.

Regulation and education:

A combination of regulation and education is needed to curb the use of dark patterns and promote digital accessibility. Governments can enact laws and regulations to curb the misuse of dark patterns and ensure that websites are designed to be accessible. Companies should provide training and guidelines for their designers and developers to create awareness about dark patterns and digital accessibility. In addition, it is important to educate the public about the impact of Dark Patterns and the importance of digital accessibility to create awareness and promote positive change.

Conclusion:

Dark Patterns are a threat to an ethical and inclusive online experience. By taking a stand against Dark Patterns and advocating for digital accessibility, we can ensure that websites and apps are accessible to all users. This requires a combination of regulation, education and conscious design. Only by working together to fight dark patterns and promote digital accessibility can we create a digitised world where everyone has equal opportunities and possibilities.

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