听说过暗纹(Dark Patterns)吗？嗯，这是你经常遇到但并没有真正发现的东西。今天在这篇文章中，我们将了解-
- 什么是深色图案？
- 深色图案如何工作？
- 如何发现和避免暗纹(Dark Patterns)？
- 深色图案(Dark Patterns)的常见示例
- 我们可以阻止黑暗模式吗？
- 深色图案是非法的吗？
什么是深色图案？
深色(Dark)模式是应用程序和网站界面中使用的特殊技巧，可让您做一些您并不真正想做的事情。例如，当您登陆一个网站时，即使您不想注册，也必须注册，或者即使您无意购买产品(t mean)。基本上(Basically)，这些模式用来巧妙地征得您的同意。
深色图案如何工作？
多年来，深色模式(Dark Patterns)一直被用来欺骗用户说“是”，即使他们不想这样做。诱骗他们放弃金钱、数据和时间。当您访问网站或使用应用程序时，您并没有真正阅读整个内容，只是快速浏览文本。这就是公司用黑暗模式欺骗您购买一些价格过高的保单、订阅每月服务、允许跟踪您的位置、注册试用版(trial version)等等的地方。最常见的深色图案(Dark Patterns)之一是“我接受这些条款”按钮。我们经常在各种网站和应用程序上看到这个按钮，而且大多数时候我们点击它甚至没有检查条款。
但是，如果您足够小心，则可以轻松发现并避免这些技巧。让我们看看如何。
如何发现和避免暗纹(Dark Patterns)？
为了避免某些事情，您首先需要了解并发现那件事。您是否注意到促销页面(sale page)上的订阅按钮或立即购买按钮如此粗体、尺寸更大且引人注目，而取消订阅按钮的尺寸总是非常小、颜色模糊并且隐藏(color and hidden)在大量文本之间？同样，“我接受这些条款”的按钮也用粗体字写成，而“跳过安装”则不太显眼。这就是黑暗模式(Dark Pattern)。一个容易进入但很难退出的路径。
这在软件安装(software installing)页面和电子商务网站中非常常见，其中用户被以特定方式设计的按钮误导。这些是用来欺骗用户的一些最常见的模式。只有当你足够小心时，你才能发现并避免它们。此外，您必须改掉盲目同意或接受条款的习惯。
阅读(Read)：在单击 Web 链接之前需要采取的基本预防措施。
让我们看一些常用来欺骗您的黑暗模式的更多示例。(Dark Patterns)
深色图案的常见示例
我很确定您以前没有听说过黑暗(term dark)模式这个词，但是您每天经常会遇到几个例子。以下(Below)是一些最常见的例子——
- 服务的试用版(The trial version of service)– 您注册时假设它是试用版(trial version)，但当试用期到期时，您的卡会自动收费。
- 插页式广告——(The interstitial ads- )此类广告遍布整个网络，关闭这些广告的小X 按钮(X button)隐藏在角落的某处。它实际上是如此之小，以至于您经常点击广告而不是关闭它。
- 弹出您的位置 -(Pop-up for your location- )这在电子商务网站和应用程序中很常见，我们大多数人都有点击允许按钮(ALLOW button)的坏习惯，甚至没有意识到我们实际上允许他们跟踪我们的所有数据。
- 倒数计时器(Countdown timer- )- 您经常会在电子邮件中看到此按钮。营销电子邮件有这个带有倒数计时器的按钮，可以在您点击按钮时施加压力。
- Sign-up button/ Authorize the app- 您有没有想过您是如何每天收到大量营销电子邮件的？这是因为您有授权应用程序或注册时事通讯的习惯。
- 添加附加组件 -(Add the add-on- )购买东西时，购物车附近会显示一个小商品，要求您添加它。这在某些网站上也显示为“人们(People)也购买”。
- 误导(Misdirection- )- 专门设计用于将您的注意力吸引到特定事物的用户界面。(User interface)
- 隐藏成本(Hidden costs- )- 费用、税金等未显示在主页上，而是显示在我们结帐时的最后一页。之后我们通常不会取消交易。
- 单击诱饵(Click Baits- )- 标题或缩略图显示一件事，但内容是关于非常不同的事情。
- 伪装广告(Disguised ads-)——广告链接隐藏在下载按钮(download button)或导航按钮(navigation button)下方。最常见于software/apps download page和歌曲下载网站。网页上有20个下载按钮(download button)，只有一个是真正的下载链接(download link)，其他都是广告。
- Cookie(Cookies consent-)同意 - 您几乎可以在您访问的每个网站中看到一个弹出式请求 Cookie 同意。这些弹出窗口包含一个大而明亮的“接受”按钮，并且在任何地方都看不到拒绝 cookie 的按钮。
这些是一些常用的深色图案示例，但还有更多可以添加到列表中。多年来，有无数公司使用这些模式来欺骗用户。您可以查看耻辱(Shame)大厅(Hall)，其中展示了一些最知名的全球公司，他们一直在用这些模式欺骗用户。
阅读：如何使用您的(Read)网络浏览器(web browser)检查链接是否安全？
我们可以阻挡深色图案吗？
很不幸的是，不行。我们确实有可用的弹出窗口阻止程序等，但没有这样的程序可以阻止网站和应用程序中使用的所有黑暗模式。防止您的数据跟踪和其他类型的暗模式的唯一方法是在浏览网页或单击任何按钮时要小心。
深色图案是非法的吗？
这是边缘！然而，据报道，加利福尼亚州(California)已经禁止某些类型的深色图案，许多其他司法管辖区正在解决这个问题。
提示(TIPS)：
- 访问(Visit)我们关于 网站 URL 扫描器和链接检查器(Website URL Scanners & Link Checkers)的帖子。
- 这些 用于检查您的浏览器是否安全的浏览(Browser)器安全(Browser Security)测试也可能会让您感兴趣。
- 这些免费的在线 URL 扫描(Online URL Scanners) 程序还可以帮助您扫描网站以查找恶意软件、病毒、网络钓鱼等。
Dark Patterns: Website tricks, Examples, Types, How to Spot & Avoid
Ever heаrd of Dark Patterns? Well, this is something you often come across but don’t really spot it. Today in this post, we will learn about-
- What are Dark Patterns?
- How do Dark Patterns work?
- How to spot and avoid the Dark Patterns?
- The common examples of Dark Patterns
- Can we block the Dark Patterns?
- Are Dark Patterns illegal?
What are Dark Patterns?
Dark patterns are the special tricks used in the interface of the applications and websites that make you do the things that you don’t really want to. For example, when you land on a website and have to sign-up even if you don’t want to, or buy a product even if you don’t mean to. Basically, the patterns used to take your consent trickily.
How do Dark Patterns Work?
Dark Patterns are been used for years to trick users say yes even when they don’t want to. To trick them into giving up their money, data, and time. When you visit a website or use an app, you don’t really read the entire thing and just quickly move through the text. This is where the companies trick you with the dark patterns to buy some overpriced policies, subscribe for a monthly service, allow tracking your location, sign-up for a trial version, and much more. One of the most common Dark Patterns is “I accept these terms” button. We often see this button on various websites and apps and most of the time we click on it without even checking the terms.
However, if you are careful enough, you can spot and avoid these tricks easily. Let’s see how.
How to spot and avoid the Dark Patterns?
To avoid something, you first need to understand and spot that thing. Have you noticed that subscribe button or a buy-now button on a sale page is so bold, bigger in size, and noticeable whereas the unsubscribe button is always very small in size, blur in color and hidden somewhere between a lot of text? Similarly, the button saying, “I accept these terms” is boldly written where ‘skip installing’ is much less prominent. This is what a Dark Pattern is. A pathway where it is easy to enter but quite difficult to exit.
This is very common in software installing pages and e-commerce websites wherein the user is misdirected with the buttons designed in a particular fashion. These are some of the most common patterns used to trick you as a user. You can spot and avoid them only if you are careful enough. Also, you have to leave the habit of giving your consent or accepting the terms blindly.
Read: Basic precautions you need to take before clicking on web links.
Let’s take a look at some more examples of Dark Patterns commonly used to trick you.
Common examples of Dark Patterns
I am pretty sure you have not heard of the term dark patterns before but you often come across several examples of them daily. Below are some of the most common examples-
- The trial version of service– You sign-up assuming it as a trial version but your card gets charged automatically when the trial expired.
- The interstitial ads- Such advertisements are all over the web and the tiny X button to close these ads is hidden somewhere in the corner. It is actually that small that you often click on the ad instead of closing it.
- Pop-up for your location- This is very commonly seen in e-commerce websites and apps and most of us have that bad habit to click on the ALLOW button without even realizing that we are actually allowing them to track all our data.
- Countdown timer- This button you will often see in your emails. The marketing emails have this button with a countdown timer putting up pressure on your click on a button.
- Sign-up button/ Authorize the app- Have you ever wondered how are you getting tons of marketing emails every day? This is because you are in a habit of authorizing the apps or signing up for the newsletters.
- Add the add-on- While purchasing something, a small item is shown near your shopping cart insisting you add it. This is also shown as ‘People also buy’ on some websites.
- Misdirection- User interface specially designed to draw your attention to a particular thing.
- Hidden costs- The fees, taxes, etc are not shown on the main page but on the last page when we checkout. We normally don’t cancel the transaction after that.
- Click Baits- The title or the thumbnail images show one thing but the content is about something very different.
- Disguised ads- The advertisement links are hidden under the download button or the navigation button. Most commonly seen in the software/apps download page and the songs download websites. Out of the 20 download buttons available on the webpage, only one is genuinely a download link, and all others are advertisements.
- Cookies consent- You can see a pop-asking for cookies consent in almost every second website you visit. These pop-ups contain a big and bright-colored “Accept” button and there is no button seen anywhere to refuse cookies.
These are some of the commonly used examples of dark patterns but there are many more that can be added to the list. There are countless companies using these patterns for years to trick the users. You can check out the Hall of Shame which showcases some of the most reputed global companies who had been tricking the users with these patterns.
Read: How to check if a link is safe or not using your web browser?
Can we block the dark patterns?
Unfortunately no. We do have pop-up blockers, etc, available but there is no such program available that can block all the dark patterns being used in the websites and applications. The only way to prevent your data tracking and other types of dark patterns is to be a little careful while browsing the web or clicking any button.
Are Dark Patterns illegal?
This is borderline! However, California reportedly had banned certain types of dark patterns and many other jurisdictions are working on this problem.
TIPS:
- Visit our post on Website URL Scanners & Link Checkers.
- These Browser Security Tests to check if your Browser is secure may also interest you.
- These free Online URL Scanners can also help you scan websites for malware, virus, phishing, etc.
