The Dark Side of UX: How Some Websites Manipulate Users

In User Experience (UX) design, the fundamental principle is simple: design should facilitate, not manipulate. Yet, not everyone adheres to this philosophy. Some websites employ questionable design tactics to trick users into clicking where they never intended, paying for something they never planned to buy, or getting trapped in a subscription with no clear exit. These techniques, known as dark patterns, are not merely bad design—they are calculated deception, engineered to exploit human psychology.

The Roach Motel

One of the most infuriating dark patterns is the Roach Motel, where signing up for a service is effortless, but escaping it feels like navigating a labyrinth. Companies count on users lacking the time—or patience—to hunt down hidden cancellation buttons or endure a gauntlet of “Are you sure?” prompts. The result?

Subscriptions that keep charging for months simply because canceling requires an absurd level of persistence.

Roach Motel
Roach Motel: A design that makes signing up easy but leaving difficult.

The Fine Print Trap

Then, there are hidden costs—the digital equivalent of fine print in a shady contract. You choose a product advertised at a reasonable price, but by the time you reach checkout, the total has ballooned due to “additional fees”. Taxes, service charges, or shipping costs that were never disclosed suddenly appear at the final step, right when users are psychologically committed to completing their purchase. It’s a strategy that banks on the fact that most people, even when they feel cheated, will begrudgingly proceed rather than abandon the process.

The Fine Print Trap
A deceptive design tactic where crucial details, like high fees or auto-renewals, are buried in small, hard-to-notice text, tricking users into unintended commitments.

Confirmshaming: Guilt as a Tactic

Another insidious strategy is confirmshaming—where a website attempts to make you feel guilty for your choices. Want to decline a special offer or avoid signing up for a newsletter? Instead of a simple “No, thank you”, you’re faced with passive-aggressive rejection options like “No, I prefer to stay uninformed” or “No, I don’t want to save money”. This is psychological manipulation at its finest, preying on the user’s fear of missing out (FOMO)—a tactic that marketers wield with surgical precision.

Confirmshaming
A manipulative tactic where users are pressured into making a choice—often by using shaming or guilt-inducing language—making them feel bad for opting out.

Deceptive Ads

A classic example of UI trickery is the misleading ad placement. Ever clicked on what looked like a legitimate “Download” button, only to find yourself redirected to an ad—or worse, malware? These designs exploit the way users rapidly scan content, deliberately placing the real button in an obscure spot while making the deceptive one the most visually appealing. It’s not just misleading; it’s predatory.

Disguised Download Buttons: A Clickbait Trap
A deceptive design trick where fake “Download” buttons mimic real ones, misleading users into clicking ads, unwanted software, or malware instead of their intended file.

The “Free Trial” Trap

Finally, we have forced continuity—arguably the most underhanded dark pattern of them all. The world of “free trials” is a minefield, where failing to cancel by a precise deadline results in automatic charges for a full subscription. How many times have you signed up for a “7-day free trial” only to realize that canceling was so convoluted you ended up being billed anyway? These companies rely on your forgetfulness and busy schedule, intentionally designing cancellation processes to be as inconvenient as possible.

The “Free Trial” Trap
A deceptive tactic where “free trials” turn into paid subscriptions unless canceled in time—exploiting forgetfulness and making cancellation intentionally difficult.

The Cost of Deceptive UX

These practices are not just annoying; they are ethically indefensible. UX design should never aim to confuse, mislead, or obscure choices. A well-designed website guides users with clarity, offering genuine choices rather than setting traps.

Companies that rely on such tactics may see short-term gains, but in the long run, they erode customer trust—a loss far more costly than any quick profit gained through manipulation.

Good UX Doesn’t Need Tricks

Ethical UX design is rooted in transparency and respect for the user. Anything else isn’t UX—it’s deception wrapped in a pretty interface.

Article from:

Penelope Tolia

Visual Designer, Founder of Nelyce

Graduate of
Audio & Visual Arts Department, Ionian University

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