Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

Sneaky Sales and Pricing Practices Online

posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday April 26 2016, @04:48AM   Printer-friendly
from the sourceforge-was-guilty-of-this dept.

GungnirSniper writes:

Sneaky user interfaces, such as unwanted bundleware default checkboxes are now expanding into digital newspaper subscriptions. The Boston Globe's site uses lightly-colored close buttons and increases the price as the user goes through the sales process, as well as includes some newsletter-signup defaults. These dishonest-by-design interface elements that are intended to trick or obfuscate users are called dark patterns.

What are some of the most egregious examples you have seen? Have you even been asked to implement a design you found morally distasteful?

Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Sneaky Sales and Pricing Practices Online | Log In/Create an Account | Top | 27 comments | Search Discussion
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Justin Case on Tuesday April 26 2016, @12:39PM

    by Justin Case (4239) on Tuesday April 26 2016, @12:39PM (#337443) Journal

    If it is a significant, reputable software package it probably has a wikipedia page. From there, follow the link to the origin of the software.

    And yeah, if you encounter mandatory JavaShit anywhere, you're either dealing with a crook or an idiot. Either way, move along, nothing to see here.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Insightful=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Insightful' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 4, Interesting) by halcyon1234 on Tuesday April 26 2016, @01:20PM

    by halcyon1234 (1082) Subscriber Badge on Tuesday April 26 2016, @01:20PM (#337461)

    If it is a significant, reputable software package it probably has a wikipedia page. From there, follow the link to the origin of the software.

    Counterpoint: The wikipage can be both deceiving and enlightening. Take CDEX for example. A simple, lightweight CD burner I've used for years. (Still have a CD player in car, blah, blah, whatever). So I'm on a new computer, and want to make a CD. I can't remember the download site. Search for CDEX takes me to some download-ware sites. Not enthused. Check Wikipedia for the actual link, and...

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDex [wikipedia.org]

    Find out the company's been bought out by a scummy bundle-corp who is installing adware/malware bundled with the latest (now closed source) binary. (There's been some editing on the page since, but it's in the history)

    --
    Original Submission [thedailywtf.com]