Most subscription sites use "dark patterns" to influence customer behavior around subscriptions and personal data, according to a pair of new reports from global consumer protection groups. Dark ...

A new study from the Federal Trade Commission looks at the “dark patterns” that subscription apps and websites use to get more money or data from their users. “Dark pattern” is actually the term used ...

At the end of 2025, millions of Americans started receiving small payments, usually under $51, with the note “Amazon FTC ...

While these deceptive practices may offer short-term gains for companies, they ultimately undermine consumer trust and can lead to significant legal repercussions. In the increasingly digital world, ...

If you’ve ever had to call to cancel a subscription you signed up for online in seconds, uncheck a preselected agreement to receive ads in the mail or been tricked into upgrading to a premium economy ...

Some business practices on the internet may not be against the law, but they undermine or manipulate consumer choice. Legal advocates have coined a new name for this practice: dark patterns. Difficult ...

MORE. IT’S A TERM THAT’S BEEN USED IN THE ONLINE WORLD FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, BUT NOW FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION IS TRYING TO SHINE SOME LIGHT ON WHAT ARE KNOWN AS DARK PATTERNS USE TO TRICK YOU INTO ...

We’ve known about manipulative user interfaces for a long while now, but the FTC reported that more and more companies are tricking site visitors. Reading time 3 minutes As much as you think you have ...

Tech companies, subscription apps and e-commerce sites have for years used subtle tricks to nudge people toward a decision or purchase they might not otherwise make. There's even a name for the ...

Dark patterns are web design features designed to trick users into sharing their data or spend more money. Watch out for tricks like hard-to-cancel subscriptions, hidden costs in the checkout process ...