Dark design patterns : what are the next steps towards more ethically designed digital products and services?
Eskelinen, Eetu (2021)
Eskelinen, Eetu
2021
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202103123215
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202103123215
Tiivistelmä
In the past decade digital products and services have become an essential part of the way people interact with the surrounding world and each other. As user numbers have risen, the number of cases of social media and smart phone addiction, depression and antisocial behavior have also grown steadily. This increase has brought forth the need to rethink the way these products and services are designed.
The objective of this thesis was to examine different ways dark patterns are used in digital products and services, and through a survey targeted at professional designers, determine their awareness about the issue of dark patterns, and what they believe should be the next step in the battle against them.
The results of the survey showed that in general, designers are aware of the basics of what dark design patterns are, and how they can be used to get the user to do something they might not otherwise do, like share additional details about themselves. The responses also indicated that some designers are using dark design patterns in their own work due to pressure to do so from clients, or managers.
The suggested next steps towards more ethically minded technology according to the interviewed designers were regulation, and education. According to information gathered from the study, the only way to effectively combat the use of dark patterns in existing companies would be to regulate their use, while educating new designers could give them the tools to advocate against unethical design.
Additional research would need to be conducted to determine what kinds of regulations could or should be implemented around the use of dark patterns.
The objective of this thesis was to examine different ways dark patterns are used in digital products and services, and through a survey targeted at professional designers, determine their awareness about the issue of dark patterns, and what they believe should be the next step in the battle against them.
The results of the survey showed that in general, designers are aware of the basics of what dark design patterns are, and how they can be used to get the user to do something they might not otherwise do, like share additional details about themselves. The responses also indicated that some designers are using dark design patterns in their own work due to pressure to do so from clients, or managers.
The suggested next steps towards more ethically minded technology according to the interviewed designers were regulation, and education. According to information gathered from the study, the only way to effectively combat the use of dark patterns in existing companies would be to regulate their use, while educating new designers could give them the tools to advocate against unethical design.
Additional research would need to be conducted to determine what kinds of regulations could or should be implemented around the use of dark patterns.