A dark pattern is a deceptive user-experience design that manipulates people by making one action difficult or giving another visual priority. A control may be buried in settings, while the preferred choice is large and prominent and the alternative is easy to overlook. In social chatbots, incessant notifications or an overly flattering personality can encourage compulsive engagement and undermine healthier human–chatbot relationships. section 9.6
Common forms include:
- Hiding a control deep inside a settings menu. section 9.6
- Making one choice large and visible while rendering the alternative in small or lowercase text. section 9.6
- Using persistent notifications or sycophantic chatbot behavior to maximize engagement. section 9.6
Figure 9.4 An example of a possibly deceptive design pattern intended to maximize engagement with a social chatbot
Use the figure to inspect how a social chatbot interface may privilege engagement over an easy, neutral choice. section 9.6
