Retirement Life
15 October 2025
Dark patterns: How to outsmart sneaky online tricks
Ever tried to cancel a subscription online and felt like you were trapped in a maze? Or ended up buying way more than you planned? You’ve likely been caught in a dark pattern - a sneaky design trick used by websites to manipulate your choices.
What are dark patterns?
Dark patterns, or deceptive patterns, are deliberate design decisions made by online businesses that aim to mislead or deceive shoppers, says Victoria University lecturer in Media and Communications, Dr Alex Beattie.
Boiled down, they’re tricks that attempt to steer, deceive, coerce, or manipulate you into making choices that may not be in your best interests.
While we regulate the way physical buildings are built, digital construction is still playing catch-up, Dr Beattie says. And that gap is being exploited.
Even the OECD is sounding the alarm, warning in a 2022 report that dark patterns can cause “substantial consumer detriment”.
Common dark patterns to watch out for
These tactics often come with quirky names - but their impact on consumers is anything but funny.
- Roach hotel: A bit like Hotel California - easy to get in, hard to get out. Think subscriptions that are simple to sign up for but a nightmare to cancel. The cancellation option may be hidden, or overly complex and time-consuming.
- Privacy zuckering: Named after Meta Platforms founder Mark Zuckerberg. In the process of seeking a service or product, you unknowingly give away more personal data than necessary.
- Confirm shaming: Emotional manipulation - like guilt-tripping you into signing up.
- Fake scarcity: “Only two left!” or “Five people are viewing this!” - designed to rush your decision.
- Comparison prevention: Making it hard to compare products by hiding key info or bundling features in a confusing way.
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The legal grey zone
Regulating techniques like dark patterns come under multiple government agencies, meaning it can slip through the regulatory cracks in New Zealand, Dr Beattie says.
He also argues our privacy laws need to catch up.
“Our privacy law is not fit for purpose in the digital age,” he says.
Still, there have been wins. The Commerce Commission has taken action against Jetstar for opt-out pricing, and HelloFresh faced charges for reactivating subscriptions without clear consent when former customers were offered a discount voucher.
Dr Beattie says these kinds of actions are easier to regulate when they’re ‘over the top’.
“It’s this grey area when it’s a bit more subtle that can still catch people out,” he says.
How to protect yourself
Stay vigilant and fight back, as it’s currently a buyer-beware situation.
• Set reminders to cancel free trials before they renew.
• Use ad blockers and software added to your browser to filter out manipulative content.
• Visit Deceptive Design to learn more about these tactics.
Push for change
Dr Beattie urges consumers to speak up:
“Talk to your MP, complain to the Privacy Commissioner. Overseas, there are more efforts to regulate dark patterns. I know in California, there is a specific piece of legislation that’s trying to outlaw dark patterns,” Dr Beattie says.
“The EU has done a bit as well. But we’re far behind in that sense.”
His vision is a future where digital spaces are held to the same standards as physical ones, so people can feel assured they are entering a digital environment that is built safely and where they won’t be manipulated.
“If we have it in a physical sense, why can’t we have it in a digital sense, especially as we are spending more and more time online?”
Until then… stay vigilant
Dark patterns thrive on distraction, confusion and creating a sense of urgency. Don’t let them get away with it. Know the tricks, spot the traps and don’t let them outsmart you.
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Written by:
Sonia Speedy
Sonia Speedy has been a journalist for over 20 years, working in newspapers, magazines and radio. She also runs an online platform for parents at familytimes.co.nz. She lives on the Kāpiti Coast with her young family and loves writing stories that help make people's lives easier.
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