Dark Pattern

A Dark Pattern is a deceptive design practice that manipulates users into taking unintended actions, such as making a purchase or subscribing to an email list. Common examples include hidden opt-outs, disguised ads, or confusing interface elements that trick users into agreeing to unwanted terms. Dark patterns exploit psychological biases and are considered unethical, violating trust and user autonomy.

Dark patterns can juice short-term metrics — signups, subscriptions, email list growth — but they erode trust and generate negative reviews, chargebacks, and regulatory attention. The FTC has started fining companies for deceptive UI patterns, and the reputational damage to a startup from a viral 'they make it impossible to cancel' tweet can outweigh years of growth. Ethical design is also increasingly a differentiator with sophisticated buyers.

Linktree's cancellation screen forces users to type 'CANCEL' in a text box before the confirm button activates — a high-friction confirmation that makes abandonment feel deliberate rather than accidental.