Evil design in the Dark Patterns tunnel: where we came from and where we are (heading) now

In this paper we highlight certain notions on Dark Patterns from a user’s perspective . Dark Patterns are elements in interfaces designed to misdirect, confuse, and lure users into unintended, involuntary actions. They are omnipresent in web and game-interfaces and highly effective. There is agreement that awareness and better understanding is needed. We present some current Dark Patterns research projects carried out by the Human-Centered Computing group at Utrecht University, dedicating attention to a set of insights and findings we think should be shared. These stem from research on contextual issue of device choice and experiencing Dark Patterns, the “Dark Pattern Darkness Score” (DPDS), the “System darkness scale” (SDS), and the use of Muscle Memory as a Dark Pattern.