This article develops the notion of 'dark contracts'. The first part explains the concept, and documents multiple non-transparent contractual mechanisms and instruments that consumer contracts often incorporate. It delineates how firms design and employ non-transparent tools in almost every possible contractual juncture: from the nature, scope, and language to performance and change to dispute resolution, conflict management, and termination. The article also examines the far-reaching implications of dark contracts and the ways in which they affect not just consumers, but also regulators, market forces, and societies at large. Lastly, it considers the transparency approach and the pros and cons of their application in consumer contracts.

This research reveals how dark patterns work, namely which vulnerabilities and biases they exploit. From a broader perspective, it would also allow readers to understand how techno-regulation (i.e. regulation through technology) can nowadays be used to influence individuals’ behaviour and autonomy through design. It examines the existing literature of dark patterns and acknowledges how dark patterns exploit biases, heuristics and vulnerabilities as well as the economic reasons behind dark patterns.

Online vendors often employ drip-pricing strategies where mandatory fees are displayed at a later stage in the purchase process than base prices. In this article. the researchers discovered after thorough analysis that disclosing fees upfront reduces both the quantity and quality of purchases. At the same time, detailed click-stream data analysed by the authors show that price shrouding makes price comparisons difficult and results in consumers spending more than they would otherwise.

Online services pervasively employ manipulative designs (i.e., dark patterns) to influence users to do different things. In this article, the researchers investigate whether users were aware of the presence of dark patterns and if so, their ability to resist them. The researchers discover however, that being aware does not equip users with the ability to oppose such influence. They further find that respondents, especially younger ones, often recognise the ”darkness” of certain designs, but remain unsure of the actual harm they may suffer. Finally, they discuss a set of interventions (e.g., bright patterns, design frictions, training games, applications to expedite legal enforcement) in the light of their findings.

Addressing the root causes of (un)sustainability entails fundamentally changing our ways of living. This requires going beyond technology and behaviour-oriented approaches common under the umbrella of sustainable development (SD). More fundamental change is required to increase the possibility of realizing ecological and psychological well-being. Here, such change is conceptualized as ‘characterological change’. Next to SD another domain is introduced: characterological development (CD). The potential role of design-interventions in CD is explored in this article. Two studies were conducted, a literature study and experts interviews, covering the fields of Design for Sustainable Behaviour, Persuasive Technology, Practice-Oriented Design and Philosophy of Technology. The literature study shows that current research and interventions predominantly fall within the domain of SD, leaving character and related notions largely unaddressed.

In this paper, the authors present a novel solution expanding the Advanced Data Protection Control (ADPC) mechanism to bridge current gaps in user data and privacy control. Their solution moves the consent control to the browser interface to give users a seamless and hassle-free experience, while at the same time offering content providers a way to be legally compliant with legislation. Through an extensive review, they evaluate previous works and identify current gaps in user data control. They then present a blueprint for future implementation and suggest features to support privacy control online for users globally.

HCI research has extensively studied nudging user behaviour and how corporations have often used this as an avenue to influence user information disclosure. In this paper, the researchers test the effect of norm-shaping design patterns on information divulging behaviour. Primarily their findings indicate a key mechanism by which norm-shaping designs can change beliefs and subsequent disclosure behaviours.

Design is promising in a world which prizes beauty and functionality. With this understanding, web giants have customised their experiences, competed to attract users, and influenced as substantially as possible, their behaviours across diverse fields. However, this model is not followed any longer perhaps in light of the growing concerns about the utilisation of personal data. Laws like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also have offered instruments to make users the focus of the data economy. This article focuses on proposing operational recommendations to strengthen the choices to which users are entitled through design solutions.

This paper discusses the current CMA thinking in this important area for its ongoing programme of competition and consumer enforcement. It also explains why online choice architecture is relevant to both consumer protection policy and competition policy and outlines a novel taxonomy of practices.

The purpose of this open letter is to help businesses understand and comply with their existing obligations under consumer protection law when making urgency claims (for example, countdown timers, scarcity or ‘act fast’ messages) and/or price reduction claims online. The letter includes examples where common claims made by online businesses to consumers during the shopping process may breach the law, for example by misleading consumers or by putting unfair pressure on them.