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The Disturbing Rise of Dark Patterns

chon digital

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Dark patterns, or deceptive design patterns, are user interfaces that are carefully crafted to trick users into doing things they didn't mean to. They're the reason you lose hours to Instagram, hundreds of dollars to Netflix, or your privacy to Facebook. However, these patterns only work because they're invisible. Once you become aware of their deceptive nature, you can break free from their addictiveness. There is a long way to stop social media addiction.

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Music used:
"i watched myself rot in real time" by yue!
library.real.audio/t/RA-00249
"Peroxide" by emo4
library.real.audio/t/RA-00250

#darkpatterns #commentary #socialmedia #videoessay #socialmediaaddiction

20 Comments

@chon.digital Creator 2 weeks ago Pinned

@Toastedtasty42 13 days ago

"Wait till number 10" feels like a dark pattern

@chel5413-k9x 13 days ago

Social media needs an addictive warning, just like cigarettes. I’m so serious 💀

@Cinnasweetie 13 days ago

Dora was right all along, "swiper no swiping!"

@PassifloraCerulea 13 days ago

This is why I hate 'phones' and most social media and use them as little as possible. Excepting Youtube. I'm on here way too much. Good old-fashioned desktop computers (including laptops) still give you a bit more control and make using these web sites a little less horrible.

@gyurto 13 days ago

Thank God, no algorithm can beat human stupidity. I deleted Instagram, not because it was addicting, but because people recreate the same shit over and over and it is just boring. I'm glad trends exist because it makes everything so fucking boring that it makes you want to quit.

@FirestormInfinity 13 days ago

Real eyes realize reel lies

@Liilflowerr 13 days ago

Even YouTube immediately hits you with auto playing shorts before I even get to the homepage or my subscription list…it’s so frustrating

@mrandisg 13 days ago

I have conditioned myself to not swipe, but instead click or tap the back button. That way I’m sucked in way less.

@mav9932 13 days ago

The internet used to be confined to a corner of a room in your house. No algorithms. We are not designed to have the entirety of human information and content in our pockets around with us every day screaming at us with notifications to go look. It’s unnatural.

@ShayTheAbsolver 13 days ago

I don't have TikTok, I have Instagram but never use it, and I select what YouTube Shorts I want to watch from the home page and never scroll through them.

@Markimark151 13 days ago

I can’t stand that short videos randomly play when you don’t want them and too many ads pushed in videos that aren’t even that long!

@kosmosXcannon 13 days ago

I am impressed that you brought up pages. Figured that was a thing most people forgot about. Sadly it also applies to things like the comment section for maximum engagement.

@inzyster 13 days ago

For what it's worth, iOS had customizable ring and text tones for individual contacts for ages, I recall using that at least as far back as 2018. That being said, I agree their notifications system stinks.

@IttCrowd-j3o 13 days ago

They use very base levels of brain chemicals and human psychology to trap us in behavioural feedback loops. Unfortunately, this stuff is very effective, for a reason. They know what they're doing.

One way to really fight back against it is using desktop/laptop PCs for internet use, and abandoning smartphones altogether - is being available while out and about is absolutely essential, a 'dumb phone' will usually be enough. The key thing is breaking the unconscious/autonomous habit of whipping out the phone and idly scrolling through IG or whatever.

When you get rid of these habits, it is as enriching as kicking any addiction that ruins your life. Going outside and actually being present in the world and not terminally online... that's freedom.

@tvkiru 6 days ago

"Wait till number 10" BAD

@CaptainAiryca 13 days ago

Remember when some Android phones had little customizable lights that showed you had a notification/text so you didn't even have to pick up your phone!? You could assign different colors to different people or app types. It was the BEST. Anyway, I have a sunbeam flip phone now and tbh one of the best things is it has a green light for text or blue light for missed call. I can literally just leave it in it's dock on my desk and see if I have a message from across the room. It took me too long to figure out why on earth they'd get rid of that feature on newer phones but it's totally so you have to pick the dang thing up and that makes me mad.