‘Dark patterns’: Regulators eye tech tricks that hurt consumers
Members of Congress, consumer protection agencies, nonprofit watchdog groups and academic researchers have all announced plans this year to increase the scrutiny they give to dark patterns, laying the groundwork for possible legal action and promising to bring more clarity and fairness to how people navigate the internet.
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning that it’s going to take a closer look, especially at those patterns that “trick or trap” consumers into subscription services. The commission and state agencies have brought many cases against subscription services or other businesses in the past, but the FTC said enforcement hasn’t gone far enough.
Source: ‘Dark patterns’: Regulators eye tech tricks that hurt consumers
