Watchdog unveils guidelines on deceptive 'dark patterns' on online platforms

On Tuesday, Korea's fair trade watchdog unveiled guidelines aimed at preventing online platforms from employing deceptive practices known as "dark patterns." These practices are designed to complicate the cancellation of subscriptions or encourage irrational purchases from users. The Fair Trade Commission (FTC) stated that these guidelines consolidate and update previous guidance, offering detailed examples of violations to assist platform operators in adhering to the rules.

Dark patterns involve tactics that deceive consumers into making payments or signing up for services without a full understanding of their commitments. Examples include enrolling users in monthly subscription services without explicit consent or making the cancellation process unnecessarily complex. According to the guidelines, platform operators should ensure cancellation links are easily accessible, such as on the website's homepage or within the "My Account" section, rather than in less intuitive locations like "Security Settings."

The FTC advised platform operators against automatically adding options that users have not explicitly selected during the signup process.