Posted on 07/12/2024 2:10:07 PM PDT by T Ruth
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with two other international consumer protection networks, announced on Thursday the results of a study into the use of “dark patterns” — or manipulative design techniques ... In an analysis of 642 websites and apps offering subscription services, the study found that the majority (nearly 76%) used at least one dark pattern and nearly 67% used more than one.
Dark patterns refer to a range of design techniques that can subtly encourage users to take some sort of action or put their privacy at risk. They’re particularly popular among subscription websites and apps …
***
The new report published Thursday dives into the many types of dark patterns like sneaking, obstruction, nagging, forced action, social proof and others.
Sneaking was among the most common dark patterns encountered in the study, referring to the inability to turn off the auto-renewal of subscriptions during the sign-up and purchase process. Eighty-one percent of sites and apps studied used this technique to ensure their subscriptions were renewed automatically. ...
Obstruction is another common one found in subscription apps; it makes it more difficult or tedious to take a certain action, like canceling a subscription or bypassing the sign-up for the free trial, where the “X” to close the offer is grayed out and somewhat hidden from view.
Nagging involves repeatedly asking the consumer to perform some sort of action that the business wants them to take. (… one example of nagging is how TikTok often repeatedly prompts users to upload their contacts to the app, even after the user has said no.)
Forced action means requiring the consumer to take some sort of step to access specific functionality, like filling out their payment details to participate in a free trial ...
***
(Excerpt) Read more at techcrunch.com ...
Taping-the-Mouth-Shut is my favorite. Did they mention that one?
A subscription is by common definition, a recurring payment. You should always be able to cancel easily, but it make no sense to opt out of the subscription at the time of subscribing.
for later
Wrong.
subscription /səb-skrĭp′shən/
noun
1. A purchase made by signed order, as for a periodical for a specified period of time or for a series of performances.
2. An agreement to receive or be given access to electronic texts or services, especially over the Internet.
3. Acceptance, as of articles of faith, demonstrated by the signing of one’s name.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
That is the entire point of a "free trial subscription", at least in presentation. You are supposedly not committing to a recurring payment.
Of course, they are deceiving and manipulating you. Otherwise, they would not be asking for the payment information up front. And if you are disappointed in the offering, good luck trying to cancel that payment.
"You should always be able to cancel easily..."
but as so many of us have discovered, you cannot do that.
Which is why I never sign up for "free trials" of anything.
“… but it make no sense to opt out of the subscription at the time of subscribing.”
This is used often in “free trial” offers. For example, I got 3 free months of Apple TV because I got the battery replaced in my IPad, (They actually just gave me a refurbished IPad.) Apple signed me up for automatic payments after the three months expired, but didn’t really point that out. If I had known, I would have cancelled when I got signed up. As it was, I didn’t find out until I got billed for the fourth month.
It is an interesting field.
Even items can be arranged on a restaurant menu in such a way as to steer customers to certain items.
Ever donate to an (R) candidate using WinRed? You’ve probably seen ALL of these techniques multiple times during that annoying exercise!
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/subscription
“A subscription is an amount of money that you pay regularly in order to belong to an organization, to help a charity or campaign, or to receive copies of a magazine or newspaper.”
You want to throw out some examples, this century please, where your subscription isn’t a recurring charge?
“Of course, they are deceiving and manipulating you. Otherwise, they would not be asking for the payment information up front. “
It’s a trick! they asked for my payment info, and then charged me!
To quote our dear leader, Come On Man! If it was free, there is no payment info required. If it is a trial subscription, with payment info collected, then it is your job to cancel, or not give the payment info.
Feel free not to participate in these free trials, i get it. But don’t blame ‘dark patterns’ and cry for government regulation to protect you from your own choice to hand out your credit card.
My favorite one was a site that listed “approved” home-improvement and other service providers.
You could “subscribe” online, but cancellations had to be in writing, and you gave them permission to guess the new expiration date on your card so they could continue to charge you if hadn’t cancelled in writing.
My second favorite was the old America On Line routine. You cancelled but they kept coming up with ways to extend your membership. The only way I got out of it was to let the card expire and then send them a postal money order for what they said I owed. I continued to receive those damn CDs for some time.
Any theater subscription or any online purchase where you don’t keep a payment method on file, agreeing to a recurring charge. And if you do agree to a recurring charge, that is an automatic renewal of a subscription.
I don't hand out a credit card for a "free trial period" because of experience with that 'dark pattern' of the vendor making it difficult or impossible to cancel those subscriptions.
No government intervention required.
But deception, manipulation, and fraud are ever-present tendencies in business activity. I can accept the need for laws and government intervention when things go too far.
If I am billed for something I never received or never ordered, then I expect the company to stop doing that. If they don't, it is time for laws and government to come into play.
They automatically put it on my refurbished IPad, along with two others that I never used, and therefore never started. I only got charged for the one I used and activated, I guess. I never saw the subscription page.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.