What Can CHI Do About Dark Patterns?

Abstract

Imagine buying flowers for a loved one. After selecting a bouquet, at checkout you discover that the site sneaked a paid greeting card into your shopping cart. This is an example of a dark pattern, an interface designed to manipulate a user into behavior that goes against their best interests. The notion of dark patterns has fostered a growing critical discussion about which interfaces go too far in exploiting the user. The first aim of this workshop at CHI 2021 is to bring together a transdisciplinary group of design practitioners and researchers to discuss dark patterns across domains. The second aim is to identify actions to address dark patterns from within the design community, which might include e.g., setting industry norms, articulating values during the design process, or incorporating dark patterns into design education curricula. The third aim is to look beyond the design community and consider what changes designers might advocate for via interactions with e.g., consumers, media, and policymakers.