This study examines the influence of dark patterns versus ethical design in AI-driven recommendation systems on consumer choice, trust, and loyalty in e-commerce environments. The study is motivated by the increasing adoption of AI recommendation systems and the growing ethical concerns associated with persuasive and manipulative interface practices. A descriptive analytical approach was adopted, and data were collected through an online questionnaire with 35 valid responses. The questionnaire measured four main constructs: dark patterns, ethical design, consumer trust, and loyalty. The descriptive results show that dark patterns achieved a moderate overall mean of 3.41, indicating that practices such as false scarcity messages and countdown timers can influence purchase decisions.
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The Impact of Dark Patterns versus Ethical Design in AI-Based Recommendation Systems A Field Study on E-Commerce Users
The findings suggest that while dark patterns may generate short-term behavioral influence, ethical design appears to be more sustainable in strengthening consumer trust and long-term loyalty.