What are Online Dark Patterns and How Do They MANIPULATE ???

 It's important to stay alert to dark patterns. These online tricks are prepared to move people into making choices that might not be best for them. By being aware of and avoiding these misleading manipulations, you can stay wise and informed, guarding against falling into traps that often serve others at your expense or your pain.

Some Dark Patterns :

1) "Basket Sneaking," where extra items are added to your online shopping cart without your knowledge. This can result in trusting users paying more than expected unless the additional items were clearly explained as free samples or necessary fees during the purchase process. It's crucial for consumers to remain alert against such sneaky tactics. 

2)  "Bait and Switch," involves luring individuals with the promise of something fun or FREE, only to manipulate them into paying for it. For instance, offering a free trial of a game and then requiring payment to continue playing is a manipulative tactic that users should be aware of to avoid falling into these traps.

3) "Subscription Trap" occurs when it's difficult to cancel a subscription or when the process to do so is intentionally hidden. Companies may also require users to provide payment details for a free trial, making it challenging to stop the subscription.

4) "Disguised Advertisement" : It's when Advertisements hidden as different content, such as a funny video, news story, or interesting article, while actually aiming to sell a product or service. Users may not realize they are being marketed to, making it important to recognize and be mindful of such disguised advertisements.

5) "Confirm Shaming" is a dark pattern that uses fear, shame, ridicule, or guilt to manipulate users into specific actions, like purchasing a product or continuing a subscription. For example, invoking guilt by asking, "Are you sure you want to be a quitter?" is a manipulative tactic that preys on users' emotions. 

6) "False Urgency" involves falsely stating or implying a sense of urgency or scarcity to mislead users into making an immediate purchase. For instance, presenting a limited-time offer or a countdown clock can pressure users into impulsive decisions. 

7) "Forced Action" requires users to buy additional goods or subscribe to unrelated services in order to obtain the product or service they initially planned to purchase. This tactic can force users into spending more than they originally intended.

8) "Interface Interference" manipulates the user interface to highlight specific information and hide or vaguely show other relevant details. This could involve making certain buttons or information more prominent to direct user behavior in a particular way. 

9) "Drip Pricing" occurs when a website does not disclose the full price upfront or adds additional charges later without clear notification. Users may be led to believe a product costs a certain amount, only to discover hidden fees during the payment process. 

10) "Nagging" involves bombarding users with an overload of requests, information, options, or interruptions unrelated to their intended transaction. This disrupts the user experience and can be particularly frustrating when users are simply trying to make a purchase.

BE AWARE :

In North Macedonia, a covertly operated Predator spyware developed by Cytrox has been identified as a serious threat. 

This malicious software is designed to clandestinely record audio, manipulate certificates, and conceal applications on targeted devices. The spyware operates without user consent, enabling it to collect data secretly. A recent and alarming incident involving a former Member of Parliament in Egypt falling victim to an attack using Cytrox's Predator spyware serves as a stark reminder of the potential impact of this threat.

- Keyloggers are malicious programs designed to capture and transmit all of a user's keystrokes to unauthorized entities. This can result in sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal data being compromised.