Hall of shame
Real-world examples of deceptive patterns, captured from the wild.
Twitter hides the option to opt out of notifications Peter Zaback 18 Jun 2026 Shopify’s “Save my information” feature is opt out and easy to miss Rickaroo 17 Jun 2026 Figma admins beware Azstace 17 Jun 2026 Copper CRM has a hard to cancel subscription Erwin AI 17 Jun 2026 Adobe “Annual plan, paid monthly” silently renews into another full-year contract. Miss the tiny renewal window, and cancelling means paying 50% of the remaining amount as a penalty. Akhil Nadh PC 9 May 2026 How Google is killing independent sites like ours Deceptive Patterns 17 Dec 2025 Rail Europe disguises an on-by-default toggle to look switched off, then treats your search as consent to open a Booking.com tab Matthew Slowe 6 Nov 2025 Drip pricing on Flipkart Sidnan 1 Oct 2025 RAC.co.uk: Can’t cancel subscription without calling Ben Sauer 5 Aug 2025 Flightradar24: the “x” button opens a page to register for premium Joe Brodie 10 Jul 2025 Whisky-me uses the hard to cancel pattern Ben Byford 27 Apr 2025 Uber: Difficult Uber One cancellation process Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 Space.com: Opt out of settings requires extra clicks Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 HelloFresh: Cancellation form misleads customers by obscuring cancellation button Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025
30 examples
Amazon: How to cancel Audible subscription? HallOfShame.Design 5 Dec 2024 Amazon’s Misleading Kindle Price Comparison Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Amazon Sued Over Prime Video Ads: Class-Action Complaint Accuses Tech Giant of ‘Immoral, Unethical, Oppressive, Unscrupulous’ Conduct Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 FTC Sues Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Arizona accuses Amazon of being a monopoly and deceiving consumers with ‘dark patterns’ Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Amazon’s AI Product Recommendations Question Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Amazon: Hid Prime subscription cost Dark Patterns Tip Line 27 Oct 2023 Amazon: Deceptive Prime opt-in at checkout Dark Patterns Tip Line 18 Oct 2023 Amazon presenting non-neutral options for refund mohitify 1 Oct 2023 FTC Sues Amazon for Illegally Maintaining Monopoly Power darkpatterns 27 Sept 2023 Users automatically enrolled in Amazon Prime subscription while choosing ‘continue with Amazon Prime’ delivery cameronsmith 22 Aug 2023 Cancelling Amazon Prime: An interactive, behavioural remedy Jerome Ribot 17 Aug 2023 FTC sues Amazon over ‘deceptive’ Prime sign-up and cancellation process Annie Palmer 21 Jun 2023 Amazon: Deceptive “Cart” button hides “proceed to checkout” Dark Patterns Tip Line 29 Jan 2023
21 examples
How Google is killing independent sites like ours Deceptive Patterns 17 Dec 2025 Google Pays $93M for Location Tracking Settlement Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Windows 11’s Intrusive Bing Notifications Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Google Workspace forcing users to sign up for the expensive free trial before downgrading to cheaper options bozo_eth 10 Nov 2023 German Cartel Office published its Google decision on dark patterns and how to fix them jason_kint 5 Oct 2023 Google to pay $93m in settlement over deceptive location tracking Johana Bhuiyan 15 Sept 2023 Yelp Sues Google Over Antitrust Violations The Verge 26 Jun 2023 Google: No clear way to sign out of Google Apps on iOS Dark Patterns Tip Line 19 May 2023 I’m getting tired of tech companies pushing people to use their products in scummy ways. This should absolutely be considered a dark pattern designed to trick people. Mike 19 Jul 2022 “The Google account sign-up process is plagued with deceptive design & runs contrary to the #GDPR.” The Consumer Voice 19 Jul 2022 Google Maps now requires WiFi scanning to use navigation 1 Feb 2022 Youtube uses a hidden opt-out button in a full-screen premium upsell. Bigolslabomeat 20 Jan 2021 Google: consent preferences. glen_george 9 Nov 2019 Google News: ad-blockers & privacy tools. jessamyn 16 Aug 2019
21 examples
Microsoft upgrades user to an expensive plan, makes it hard to downgrade Max Kennerly 24 Dec 2024 Browser Competition Research Report Released Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 No Bing, no Edge, no upselling: De-crufted Windows 11 coming to Europe soon Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Windows Update Process Criticism Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Microsoft Bing’s Chrome Search Manipulation Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Microsoft starts testing ads in the Windows 11 Start menu Deceptive Patterns 12 Apr 2024 Microsoft Word Forces OneDrive Default Save Location Bill Bennett 19 Nov 2023 Microsoft displays full screen forces ad pop-ups tomwarren 2 Nov 2023 Windows 11 has made the “clean Windows install” an oxymoron Andrew Cunningham 22 Aug 2023 Microsoft Edge used as default for links from Outlook app darkpatterns 27 Jun 2023 Windows 10 with keeps nagging for the user to “finish setting up the PC” TheSimArchitect 12 Jun 2023 Use Microsoft Edge - the best and recommended browser setting for Windows Steltek 4 Jun 2023 Microsoft Edge personalization and advertising manage settings disabled for users passively benefiting them wdormann 24 May 2023 Windows 11 Criticized for Unwanted Purchase Suggestions Shae Revolutions 6 May 2023
20 examples
Facebook’s Content Filtering System Criticized Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Facebook’s Misleading Activity Prompt Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 EU opens child safety probes of Facebook and Instagram, citing addictive design concerns Deceptive Patterns 16 May 2024 Facebook using trick working to target ads based on user activity darkpatterns 23 Sept 2023 Facebook requires group admins to manually remove every member from the group to delete a Facebook Group PatFlynn 21 Aug 2023 In-app browsers (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) found to track everything that users do. Lukasz Olejnik 19 Aug 2022 Facebook’s “mute notifications” UI uses confusing language and provides only provides temporary options (e.g. 15 mins). Cyd Harrell 3 Aug 2022 Facebook makes it tricky to decline an invitation Zach Collier 16 Jan 2022 In order to refuse cookies, Facebook makes users click a button titled “Accept Cookies”. You have to laugh Mark Di Stefano 6 Jan 2022 Wired: How Facebook and Other Sites Manipulate Your Privacy Choices Arielle Pardas 12 Aug 2020 Dark patterns identified in the consent-obtaining mechanisms of Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft SoheilHuman 15 Apr 2020 Facebook hijacks your back button, generating 12 entries for each page you visit. xichael 22 Nov 2019 Facebook App: fake message alert. cchavezhello 16 Nov 2019 Facebook’s “friend request” list becomes an “invite friends” list as you scroll down, making it easy to mistakenly invite friends. GilBouhnick 26 Jun 2019
15 examples
Twitter hides the option to opt out of notifications Peter Zaback 18 Jun 2026 Twitter Blue’s Misleading 2FA Prompt Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Platform Questions Advertising Regulation Loopholes Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 X to be investigated for allegedly breaking EU laws on hate speech and fake news Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 X: Your data - our data HallOfShame.Design 31 Jul 2024 Twitter Is Throttling Patreon Links, Creators Say It Undermines Their Livelihood Jon Keegan and Dan Phiffer 16 Oct 2023 X rolls out new ad format that can’t be reported, blocked Matt Binder 6 Oct 2023 Twitter 2FA premium subscription sign up doesn’t actually take you into a subscription sign-up journey darkpatterns 27 Sept 2023 Twitter not labeling the advertisements attracting liability for non-disclosure RobertFreundLaw 17 Sept 2023 Twitter is Still Throttling Competitors’ Links—Check for Yourself Jon Keegan, Dan Phiffer and Joel Eastwood 15 Sept 2023 Twitter changes its ‘Ad’ icon placement to make it difficult to scan and easier to be scammed danbarker 3 Aug 2023 Twitter: Difficult to exit personalized ads Dark Patterns Tip Line 16 May 2022 Twitter’s “Install App” modal dialogue prompt on top of all the content is a form of user abuse Metadat 1 Jan 2022 Twitter: Bully Time-out. Gray et al. 16 Feb 2017
13 examples
Adobe “Annual plan, paid monthly” silently renews into another full-year contract. Miss the tiny renewal window, and cancelling means paying 50% of the remaining amount as a penalty. Akhil Nadh PC 9 May 2026 Adobe’s Deceptive Subscription Cancellation Process Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Adobe’s Subscription Cancellation Dispute Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Adobe’s AI Training Claims Questioned Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Adobe Stock’s Annual Plan Deception Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 Adobe tricks users into an annual contract trawg 27 Sept 2023 Adobe makes it hard for users to cancel its subscription bytebln 15 Sept 2023 Adobe enrolls users into the subscription model using free trial MikeCalcagno 5 Jul 2023 Adobe’s subscription model deploys recurring annual plans or termination with massive penalty GergelyOrosz 23 May 2023 Adobe: Unclear yearly subscription terms and cancellation fees Dark Patterns Tip Line 3 Oct 2022 How Adobe tricks users into a 12 month contract. Deceptive Design 19 Sept 2022 Adobe interupts users with large pop-up ad they press Save in Adobe illustrator, a product they have already paid for. Cabel 27 Jul 2022 Adobe: Pre-checked boxes to install unrelated antivirus Dark Patterns Tip Line 8 Mar 2022
11 examples
HP Sued Over Ink Cartridge Monopolization Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP’s Printer Functionality Restrictions Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP hides USB port behind sticker to drive adoption of wireless services Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP Printer Ink Lawsuit Filed Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP wants you to pay up to $36/month to rent a printer that it monitors Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP Printer’s Aggressive Cartridge Notifications Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 HP: Pop-up attempts to switch search engine Dark Patterns Tip Line 11 Nov 2023 HP printers should have EPEAT ecolabels revoked, trade group demands Scharon Harding 27 May 2023 “By cancelling, I acknowledge: HP Instant Ink subscription cartridges will no longer work after my final billing cycle ends, even if they are already installed in my printer.” AssholeDesign 15 Aug 2022 HP at it again: Have to create an account to scan a document. Deceptive Design 30 Jul 2022 HP requires users to create an online account in order to use offline features. SanktusAngus 30 Jul 2022
9 examples
The ‘Threads’ App is FILLED With Deceptive Dark Design Patterns – We Spotted More Than TEN - Yanko Design Sarang Sheth 7 Jul 2023 Users are outraged and ‘trapped’ after realizing you can’t delete Meta’s new Threads app without deleting Instagram too Charissa Cheong 6 Jul 2023 Instagram forcing users to continue synching contacts carlhendy 30 May 2023 Instagram Implements Stricter Controls for Under-18s The Washington Post 1 May 2023 After 30 days, Instagram forces users to see suggested posts, even though they requested for them to be hidden. Peter V. Brett 2 Aug 2022 Instagram gets worse with dark patterns lifted from TikTok Devin Coldewey 25 Jul 2022 How Facebook decided to capitalise on your muscle memory . kwiecinski_one 20 Nov 2020 Is the New Instagram Update a New Form of Dark Pattern? Mariana V 19 Nov 2020 Instagram: No Option for “No”. Gray et al. 1 Aug 2017
9 examples
LinkedIn: How to cancel LinkedIn Premium subscription? HallOfShame.Design 23 Sept 2024 LinkedIn Auto-Opts Users Into AI Training Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 LinkedIn making opting out of email notifications tedious by involving navigating through minimum 64 menus AzureAndChill 17 Jun 2023 Linkedin limits user choice to drive engagement. SimonGabriel 28 Jun 2021 LinkedIn: accessing messages. lil_dill 4 Mar 2021 LinkedIn: unsubscribe. occitanemoron 23 Nov 2019 LinkedIn: Sync contacts. pappasadrian 6 Oct 2019 After Lawsuit Settlement, LinkedIn’s Dishonest Design Is Now A $13 Million Problem. Brownlee, John 10 May 2015 LinkedIn Dark Patterns. Schlosser, Dan 5 Jun 2014
9 examples
An opinion poll on Trump’s website contains a deceptive request for a donation, with recurring monthly repayments preselected. Ron Filipkowski 17 Aug 2022 Trump email campaigns continue to use a slew of deceptive design techniques. Augie Ray 30 Jul 2022 The assholedesign subreddit is a treasure trove of items like this. AssholeDesign 26 Jul 2022 Dark patterns in US election websites Unusable podcast 29 Oct 2020 All the President’s Spam Stephen Hutcheon, Inga Ting and Katia Shatoba 22 Oct 2020 Trump’s campaign lures donors with absurd financial promises — and insults Ben Adler 9 Oct 2020 How campaigns use manipulative tricks to convince you to open their emails Mark Sullivan 10 Sept 2020 Fake timer, sneak-into-basket and false assertions used on Trump’s donation website. ChetMcAwsomLazr 22 Jul 2020 Trump Headquarters: Emotional Manipulation. Gray et al. 1 Aug 2017
7 examples
EU Fines Apple Over App Store Music Streaming Rules Deceptive Patterns 4 Mar 2024 This is the warning Apple shows you if you try to go to Netflix’s website from the app to pay for a subscription. Dare Obasanjo 24 Jul 2022 Apple OS 16: tracking settings. airavn 17 Sept 2020 Apple IOS: nagging users to subscribe to Apple Pay. BEERLEAGUERED 31 Oct 2019 Apple: No “No” Option. Gray et al. 10 Mar 2017 OSX: Nagging for Use of iCloud. Gray et al. 2 Feb 2017 The slippery slope Harry Brignull 23 Jul 2013
7 examples
Meta uses “dark patterns” to thwart AI opt-outs in EU, complaint says Deceptive Patterns 6 Jun 2024 Meta pushes user to “consent” to unrestricted use of their data johnnyryan 10 Nov 2023 Facebook and Instagram could charge for ad-free services in EU Dan Milmo and Lisa O'Carroll 3 Oct 2023 Norway to fine Meta $98,500 a day over user privacy breach from 14 August Betsy Reed 7 Aug 2023 Meta uses surveillance based advertising airavn 17 Jul 2023 Meta Users Opposition to Platform Changes Revealed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez 27 Apr 2023 Meta (Facebook / Instagram) to move to a “Pay for your Rights” approach LuizaJarovsky 5 Jan 2023
7 examples
Yahoo Mail: adverts presented as unread emails. Emilia_Totzeva 28 Jan 2020 Yahoo: unsubscribe. MCSeb 22 Nov 2019 Yahoo: unsubscribe. BrianHershey 30 Aug 2019 Yahoo: consent. DHMeagher 9 May 2019 Yahoo uses confusing design to users into staying subscribed to their mailing lists. th3userscene 5 Feb 2019 Yahoo: Distraction While Changing Security Settings. Gray et al. 10 Apr 2017 Yahoo: Confusing Unsubscribe. Gray et al. 9 Mar 2017
6 examples
When Tech Companies Do It, The NY Times Calls It ‘Dark Patterns,’; When The NY Times Does It, It’s Called ‘Being Smart’ Techdirt 19 Aug 2022 NYT subscription takes much longer to cancel than to create. Darkpatterns.org 7 Jan 2022 The New York Times: Forces users to chat or call to cancel subscriptions Dark Patterns Tip Line 13 Apr 2021 New York Times: cancel subscription. martylafl 1 Mar 2021 Before buying a NYT subscription, here’s what it’ll take to cancel it . jandll 18 Feb 2021 New York Times Makes Subscription Cancellations ‘Exceedingly Difficult’ for Consumers, Class Action Lawsuit Alleges Jerry Lambe 18 Jun 2020
5 examples
Doordash: Auto-checked resubscription on payment Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 DoorDash’s Tip Pressure Tactics Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 DoorDash: How to cancel DashPass subscription? HallOfShame.Design 17 Jun 2024 DoorDash now warns you that your food might get cold if you don’t tip Jennifer Pattison Tuohy 1 Nov 2023 Ask HN: What’s up with these DoorDash dark patterns? flycatcha 4 Aug 2022
5 examples
Figma admins beware Azstace 17 Jun 2026 Figma automatically charged its users when given file permissions kyleturman 19 Aug 2023 Figma does not provide any unsubscribing option to its users mthvrs 3 Aug 2023 Fintech startup Quolum helps companies avoid SaaS billing Dark Patterns Quolum 8 Sept 2022 Figma: Hidden fees & pricing model. greg00r 9 Mar 2021
5 examples
Administrative Law Judge Issues Initial Decision in FTC’s Case Against Intuit Inc. Deceptive Patterns 24 Aug 2024 FTC bans TurboTax from advertising ‘free’ services, calls it deceptive Deceptive Patterns 3 Jan 2024 The Turbotax Trap - How the Tax Prep Industry Makes You Pay Justin Elliott, Paul Kiel & Will Yong 17 Oct 2019 Intuit: Email preferences. zmetak 16 Apr 2019 Turbo Tax: Pretending to Delete Information. Gray et al. 9 Apr 2017
5 examples
Samsung Privacy Policy Update Uses Misleading Checkbox Patrick Leavy 1 Nov 2024 Samsung tricks users to accept all its new terms and conditions including optional ones mariapage 23 Oct 2023 Samsung employs the trick wording and misdirection to trick users into subscribing to news and offers. Arvid Kahl 10 Sept 2022 Samsung: Marketing information settings. WolfieChristl 1 Mar 2021 Samsung.com: Limited Time. Mathur, Arunesh; Acar, Gunes; Friedman, Michael J.; Lucherini, Elena; Mayer, Jonathan; Chetty, Marshini; Narayanan, Arvind 21 Feb 2021
5 examples
TikTok: Nagging dark patterns HallOfShame.Design 28 Jun 2024 TikTok Violates DSA with Fake Accounts and Political Ads Democracy Reporting International 21 Nov 2023 Irish Data Protection Commission announces €345 million fine of TikTok darkpatterns 15 Sept 2023 TikTok is testing a feature that involves influencers engaging with a brand seemingly advertising it, but where instead of money, they receive ‘free views’. Catalina Goanta 4 Sept 2022 CONFUSING BY DESIGN: A Data Protection Law Analysis of TikTok’s Privacy Policy Dr. J. Ausloos & Dr. V. Verdoodt 1 Feb 2021
616 more examples
Shopify’s “Save my information” feature is opt out and easy to miss Rickaroo 17 Jun 2026 Copper CRM has a hard to cancel subscription Erwin AI 17 Jun 2026 Rail Europe disguises an on-by-default toggle to look switched off, then treats your search as consent to open a Booking.com tab Matthew Slowe 6 Nov 2025 Drip pricing on Flipkart Sidnan 1 Oct 2025 RAC.co.uk: Can’t cancel subscription without calling Ben Sauer 5 Aug 2025 Flightradar24: the “x” button opens a page to register for premium Joe Brodie 10 Jul 2025 Whisky-me uses the hard to cancel pattern Ben Byford 27 Apr 2025 Uber: Difficult Uber One cancellation process Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 Space.com: Opt out of settings requires extra clicks Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 HelloFresh: Cancellation form misleads customers by obscuring cancellation button Dark Patterns Tip Line 4 Apr 2025 Clearly.co.uk has a preselected checkbox on its checkout page Harry Brignull 2 Apr 2025 HRAcuity: Unnecessary cookie wall HallOfShame.Design 30 Mar 2025 They’re Scamming Me: How Children Experience and Conceptualize Harm in Game Monetization Hardwick et al. 4 Mar 2025 Phosus: Pre-selected newsletter updates HallOfShame.Design 28 Nov 2024