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Sneaky Sales and Pricing Practices Online

posted by cmn32480 on Tuesday April 26 2016, @04:48AM   
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?

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Original Submission

• Re:More Direct Debit Abuse Re:More Direct Debit Abuse (Score: 3, Informative) by pendorbound on Tuesday April 26 2016, @02:30PM

  by pendorbound (2688) on Tuesday April 26 2016, @02:30PM (#337508) Homepage

  There are far fewer protections on direct debit in the US. In some egregious cases, closing your bank account may not even be enough to stop it as many banks will (helpfully) automatically reopen an account if there's activity on it within 30 days of closing. And charge you overdraft fees for the debits against it after you closed & zeroed it.

  Parent

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

• Re:More Direct Debit Abuse (Score: 2) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Tuesday April 26 2016, @04:42PM

  by Scruffy Beard 2 (6030) on Tuesday April 26 2016, @04:42PM (#337552)

  In my country (Canada) you can tell your bank to "stop payment". The fee for this is much lower than any overdraft fees.

  Parent