‍Introduction: Ever Felt Tricked by a Website?

Have you ever…
🤔 Tried to cancel a subscription but couldn’t find the cancel button?
🤯 Clicked “Download” but ended up installing something else?
😡 Found hidden fees at checkout after already entering your details?

🎭 Congratulations! You’ve been a victim of Dark UX.

Dark UX patterns are deceptive design tactics that trick users into making unintended decisions, often benefiting businesses at the user’s expense. Big brands like LinkedIn, Amazon, and Ryanair have been called out for using them.

🚨 But here’s the thing—while these tactics may increase short-term profits, they destroy long-term trust and lead to customer frustration, legal issues, and bad press.

Let’s explore the most common Dark UX patterns, real-life examples, and how to design ethically.

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1️⃣ Roach Motel: Hard to Sign Out, Easy to Sign Up

💡 What It Is: A Roach Motel design makes it super easy to sign up but nearly impossible to cancel or leave.

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🔥 Real-Life Example:

👎 Bad UX: Amazon Prime lets you sign up in one click, but canceling requires navigating multiple misleading steps. Users must confirm their cancellation at least 3 times before it’s final!
👍 Good UX: Spotify makes it easy to both subscribe and cancel, with clear account settings for managing subscriptions.

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✅ How to Design Ethically:

• Make cancellation options easy to find in account settings.
• Use clear and honest language (e.g., “Cancel Subscription” instead of “Manage Billing Options”).
• Avoid forced interactions before cancellation (e.g., “Are you sure? You’ll lose everything!”).

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2️⃣ Hidden Costs: The Surprise at Checkout

💡 What It Is: A site displays a low price upfront, but extra fees (taxes, shipping, service charges) appear at the last step before purchase.

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🔥 Real-Life Example:

👎 Bad UX: Ryanair displays cheap flight tickets but adds hidden fees for baggage, seat selection, and even online check-in—after you enter payment details.
👍 Good UX: Airbnb shows total pricing upfront, including taxes and service fees, so there are no surprises at checkout.

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✅ How to Design Ethically:

• Show full pricing transparency early in the checkout process.
• Break down costs clearly and itemized before users enter payment details.
• Avoid default opt-ins for extra charges (e.g., pre-selecting paid add-ons).

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3️⃣ Forced Continuity: The “Oops, You Subscribed” Trick

💡 What It Is: Users sign up for a free trial but get charged automatically after it ends, often without clear reminders.

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🔥 Real-Life Example:

👎 Bad UX: Adobe Creative Cloud offers a free trial but quietly auto-bills users unless they manually cancel. Many users don’t realize they’ve been charged until they check their bank statement.
👍 Good UX: Netflix reminds users when their trial is about to expire, letting them cancel if they don’t want to continue.

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✅ How to Design Ethically:

• Send reminder emails before auto-charging users.
• Clearly state trial length and billing details before sign-up.
• Allow one-click cancellations directly from the user account.

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4️⃣ Misdirection: The Button That Lies

💡 What It Is: A misleading CTA tricks users into clicking something they didn’t intend to.

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🔥 Real-Life Example:

👎 Bad UX: Many free download sites place a large “Download” button that actually installs unwanted software—while the real download link is small and hidden.
👍 Good UX: Dropbox and Google Drive place the correct download button front and center, with no misleading distractions.

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✅ How to Design Ethically:

• Use clear, honest labels for buttons.
• Make the primary action obvious (e.g., "Download Now" vs. "Get Started").
• Avoid camouflaging ads as actual buttons.

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5️⃣ Confirmshaming: Guilting Users into Clicking

💡 What It Is: Uses guilt or manipulation to push users toward an action.

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🔥 Real-Life Example:

👎 Bad UX: Some pop-ups offer a newsletter subscription, but if you decline, the button says:
❌ “No thanks, I hate saving money.”
👍 Good UX: Patagonia asks users to opt in without any shaming—just a simple “Yes” or “No” choice.

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✅ How to Design Ethically:

• Use neutral decline buttons (e.g., “No, thanks” instead of “I don’t care”).
• Avoid emotional manipulation to force engagement.
• Respect user choices without making them feel bad.

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Why You Should Avoid Dark UX (Even If It “Works”)

🚨 Dark UX can increase conversions in the short term, but here’s why you should NEVER use it:

❌ Users Lose Trust – Tricking users creates bad word-of-mouth and lowers retention.
❌ High Churn Rate – Customers will cancel or avoid your product after feeling deceived.
❌ Legal & Compliance Risks – Dark UX violates GDPR, FTC regulations, and other consumer protection laws.

💡 The Future of UX is Ethical Design. Instead of manipulating users, focus on clear, transparent, and user-friendly experiences.

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Final Takeaways: Design for Trust, Not Tricks

🚀 If you want loyal users and sustainable growth, your UX should be ethical, transparent, and user-friendly.

✅ Make subscription cancellations easy (No Roach Motels).
✅ Be upfront about pricing (No Hidden Costs).
✅ Give users control (No Forced Continuity).
✅ Use clear, honest CTAs (No Misdirection).
✅ Respect user choices (No Confirmshaming).

📢 Bad UX = Lost Customers. Ethical UX = Loyal Customers.

Next Steps: Need Ethical UI/UX for Your Product?

🔹 Want a website or app that users love (without dark patterns)? Let’s design something trustworthy and engaging!
📩 Get in touch with Revverco: hello@revverco.com
🌐 Visit us at www.revverco.com