What Are Dark Patterns: From Brignull’s Coining of the Term to Article 25 of the DSA and Enforcement in Various Countries

Dark patterns are interface designs that steer users toward decisions they did not intend to make through the way an interface is structured rather than through false statements. Three main techniques are hiding information, giving options unequal prominence, and making it harder to opt out. Their classification often draws on a 2019 paper by researchers at Princeton University and the University of Chicago, which groups examples into seven types: sneaking, urgency, misdirection, social proof, scarcity, obstruction, and forced action.