The Dark (Patterns) Side of UX Design
September 11, 2025
|
Colin M. Gray, Yubo Kou, Bryan Battles, Joseph Hoggatt, Austin Toombs
Gray et al. (2018) analyze 118 practitioner-identified dark patterns and develop a taxonomy, including: nagging (persistent interruptions), obstruction (artificially difficult processes), sneaking (concealed relevant information), interface interference (manipulated UI hierarchy), and forced action (required specific behaviors for access). This work connects practitioner discourse with HCI ethics scholarship and advocates for ethics education in UX practice.
View full article ›