In digital advertising, there is user interface. In such interfaces, there could be deception or manipulation. To illustrate, a product’s price may not be correctly displayed. The consumer is made to pay a higher price than what was first disclosed. Such manipulative practices are called dark patterns. These are used by various platforms. ASCI has spelled out four key practices that it intends to address :

Drip Pricing : Here only a part of the price of a product is revealed. The total price is disclosed only at the end of the buying process. The final price is thus kept ambiguous. The price quoted must include all the taxes, fees and charges to the buyers, insists ASCI.

Bait and Switch : Here a consumer selects a product at a certain price, say X. Later he can access that product only at a higher price, say Y. The intended outcome is changed from X to Y.

We see an X on the top of right corner as an instruction to close the app. Instead, X can mean ‘accept or proceed’.

False urgency : They can show limited availability of a product. It could be a falsehood. In fact, there is no shortage of the product.

Disguised Advertising : Editorial matter and advertising material cannot be distinguished. Paid for messages do not disclose they are ads. There are influencer posts, paid reviews.

Of course, the line between patterns and legitimate targeting and persuasive tactics blurs. Dark patterns are under scrutiny. They ruin consumer experience. The consumer becomes suspicious of the whole online commerce.