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How Some User Interfaces Are Designed to Trick You

Over at The Verge, user experience expert Harry Brignull explains how some interface designers use “dark patterns” to fool you into doing things you otherwise wouldn’t do. One example is how Apple hides iOS 6’s ad tracking control in General > About > Advertising, instead of putting it in the privacy settings, and words it as a double negative (you have to turn it on to limit ad tracking). Brignull continues on with other examples, showing how some Web sites try to con you into buying subscriptions or use trick questions to get you to sign up for spam.

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