design-ethics

name	design-ethics
description	Deceptive patterns (dark patterns), ethical design frameworks, persuasive vs. manipulative design, GDPR/consent UX. Use when reviewing designs for manipulation, designing consent flows, or evaluating ethical implications of design decisions.

Design Ethics & Deceptive Patterns

Every deceptive pattern is a short-term revenue play that destroys long-term trust. If you have to trick someone into staying, your product isn't good enough. This isn't a moral argument (though it is). It's a business argument. Deceptive patterns tank retention, inflate support costs, and get you sued.

When to Use This Skill

Use when you need:

• Audit a design for deceptive patterns
• Design a consent or privacy flow (GDPR/CCPA)
• Evaluate whether a design is persuasive vs. manipulative
• Ethical review of engagement mechanics

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Deceptive Patterns (Harry Brignull's 12 Types)

Pattern	What It Does	Example
Trick Questions	Confusing wording leads to unintended actions	Double negatives in checkboxes
Sneak into Basket	Items added to cart without consent	Pre-selected add-ons at checkout
Roach Motel	Easy to enter, hard to leave	Amazon Prime's multi-page cancellation
Privacy Zuckering	Tricks users into sharing more data	Confusing privacy settings
Price Comparison Prevention	Hard to compare with competitors	Non-standard unit pricing
Misdirection	Draws attention away from important info	Prominent "Accept" with hidden "Decline"
Hidden Costs	Fees revealed only at final step	Shipping costs at checkout
Bait and Switch	Advertise one thing, deliver another	Free trial → auto-charge
Confirmshaming	Shame language on opt-out	"No, I don't want to save money"
Disguised Ads	Ads styled as content or navigation	Download buttons that are ads
Forced Continuity	Free trial silently becomes paid	No cancellation reminder
Friend Spam	Requests contacts under false pretenses	"Find friends" that spams contacts

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The Ethical Design Litmus Test

For any design decision, ask:

1. Is the user fully informed? - Do they understand what will happen?
2. Does the user retain genuine choice? - Can they easily say no?
3. Would they feel betrayed? - If they understood the mechanism, would they feel tricked?
4. Who benefits? - Does this serve the user, the business, or only the business?

Persuasive (ethical): Transparent, user retains autonomy, benefits the user. (Duolingo streaks motivate learning.)

Manipulative (unethical): Hidden intent, exploits biases, benefits company at user's expense. (Hidden cancellation flows.)

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GDPR/CCPA Consent UX

Legal Requirements

• Explicit opt-in consent for non-essential cookies
• Fines: up to 20M EUR or 4% of global turnover (GDPR)

Design Rules

Rule	Why
Button parity	Accept and Reject must have equal visual prominence (size, font, color)
Click parity	Opting out must require same number of clicks as opting in
No pre-ticked boxes	All consent must be affirmative
Easy withdrawal	Revoking consent must be as easy as giving it
Plain language	Replace legal jargon with clear explanations
Accessible	4.5:1 contrast, keyboard navigable, screen reader compatible

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Related Skills

• accessibility-wcag - Overlaps on inclusive, non-discriminatory design
• laws-of-ux - Cognitive biases that deceptive patterns exploit