Dark patterns are a UX problemâbut increasingly, theyâre becoming a legal one.
In this episode of The Daily Carnage Show, Shannon breaks down the growing legal scrutiny around Metaâs Facebook and Instagram products and what it could mean for marketers, designers, and anyone building digital experiences.
Weâre talking about deceptive design (aka dark patterns): the interface choices that steer users toward decisions they may not have otherwise made. From pre-selected marketing permissions and difficult-to-cancel subscriptions to buried privacy settings, infinite scroll, autoplay, and misleading urgency, these tactics can shape user behavior without an outright lie.
Shannon explores:
⢠What dark patterns and deceptive design actually mean
⢠Why Meta is facing increased scrutiny over how its products are designed
⢠How defaults, friction, and engagement metrics influence user behavior
⢠Where the line between persuasion and manipulation gets blurry
⢠Why children and social media make these issues even more complicated
⢠What marketers should consider when building forms, landing pages, subscriptions, and campaigns
⢠How the legal landscape around digital product responsibility is changing
The takeaway? Marketing doesnât have to stop being persuasive. But persuasion shouldnât come at the expense of an informed choice.
đ§ Listen nowâand let us know: Where do you think the line between persuasion and manipulation is?