A fantastic report by the Norwegian Consumer Council that explains how tech companies use dark patterns to discourage us from
exercising our rights to privacy. Facebook, Google and
Windows 10 are named and shamed.

Facebook
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Google
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Microsoft
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Author unknown
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June 27, 2018

News article responding to the Norwegian Consumer Council's "Deceived by Design" report.

Facebook
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Google
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Binder, Matt
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June 28, 2018

There's a red exclamation mark indicating something is wrong with my Notification Settings. The copy [...] implies that Facebook Messenger isn't allowed to use iOS' notification system. [...] But the iOS notifications setting screen [...] show that Facebook Messenger does have access to the iOS notifications system - I just don't have it set up the way Facebook wants me to."

Facebook
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Chris Enns
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November 1, 2016

The instagram redesign involved moving a new shopping button to where the "like" button used to be, causing many users to tap it by mistake.

Instagram
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Facebook
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kwiecinski_one
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November 20, 2020

Facebook makes it hard for users to leave facebook via their browser's back button.

Facebook
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xichael
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November 22, 2019

Facebook switches the style of the "confirm" and "cancel" buttons, which will frequently cause users to mistakenly click the wrong button.

Facebook
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th3userscene
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September 16, 2018

"Facebook users are prompt with a list of friend requests. They start tapping the ‘Confirm’ buttons, repeatedly, one after the other. At some point, the list starts showing suggestions instead of requests, but since the UI is almost identical, users easily miss this important difference, resulting in some unwanted friend requests."

Facebook
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GilBouhnick
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June 26, 2019

Qualitative evaluation of the consent-obtaining mechanisms implemented and used by the five big tech companies, i.e. Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft (GAFAM)

Facebook
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Google
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Microsoft
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SoheilHuman
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April 15, 2020

Instead of the usual blank stories section, Facebook includes “ghost stories” of your friends that haven’t posted a story in a while when there are no stories available. When the user clicks on it it tells the user that your friend hasn’t posted to their story in a while.

Facebook
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Gray et al.
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April 5, 2017

Instead of letting users simply deactivate their account, Facebook shows users some of their friends that “would miss them” and also tries to convince the user to stay offering a counter-argument to whatever reason they select.

Facebook
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Gray et al.
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March 23, 2017

Social media platforms repeatedly use so-called dark patterns to nudge you toward giving away more of your data.

Facebook
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Twitter
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Linkedin
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Instagram
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Snapchat
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Arielle Pardas
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August 12, 2020

That Facebook and its #UX#darkpattern When you are on the web, it shows you a message that does not exist to download the messaging app, Hook Model in action.

Facebook
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cchavezhello
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November 16, 2019

Facebook's #darkpatterns at work again. I don't have any notifications, yet it keeps showing that I have when I am not logged in.

Facebook
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shubhamjainco
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February 25, 2019

The user needs to click a small button labelled "..." then select "Decline", then ignore the main button (despite it being the thing they requested) and select the less obvious secondary button labelled "Confirm".

Facebook
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Zach Collier
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January 16, 2022

Following investigations, the CNIL noted that the websites facebook.com, google.fr and youtube.com do not make refusing cookies as easy as to accept them. It thus fines FACEBOOK 60 million euros and GOOGLE 150 million euros and orders them to comply within three months.

Facebook
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Google
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CNIL
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January 6, 2022

"In order to refuse the deposit of cookies,m internet users must click on a button entitled "Accept cookies", displayed in the second window."

Facebook
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Mark Di Stefano
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January 6, 2022

This study examines Facebook's issues by analyzing leaked documents and published news articles. It outlines the dark patterns that the company has applied, and discusses how they promote toxic behavior, hate speech and disinformation.

Facebook
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Pekka Kallioniemi
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July 29, 2022

"fun lil deceptive UI pattern from (apparently desperate) F*cebook this morning: I updated my phone & shortly after got a push notification from FB - I’ve had those turned entirely off for at least 3-4 years! so I go spelunking in the settings…"

Facebook
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Cyd Harrell
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August 3, 2022

"A 6 minute video below that explains how Facebook's UI employs dark patterns that make users share more data than they may intend."

Facebook
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Luiza Jarovsky
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July 19, 2022

Do not browse the web in in-app browsers (e.g. in apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok). Experience is bad. Those apps also INJECT TRACKING INSTRUCTIONS. They control every interaction, all that is typed, clicked... Browse with normal web browsers.

Facebook
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Instagram
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Tiktok
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Lukasz Olejnik
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August 19, 2022

Just found out that if you want to delete a Facebook Group you're in charge of, you have to manually remove every member one-by-one until you're the last one left, and then you have the option to remove/delete it. This is insanely asinine. 😠

Facebook
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PatFlynn
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August 21, 2023

"Use this activity" is an unusual choice of words, huh. (screenshot from @facebook yesterday)

Facebook
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darkpatterns
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September 23, 2023