🦇The Dark Side of the Internet
In Today's Siam Sixers
🕸️ The People vs Dark Patterns
📺 A video on Game Theory - Humanity’s Bane
🎧 A BBC Podcast on Dark Patterns
🔥 Five “Mega Forces” Shaping The Investment Landscape
🤖 AI Corner - The Vatican, Elon Musk, and The Terminator
⚔️ Google vs ‘Free’ Internet
1️⃣The People vs Dark Patterns
If you’re a UX designer you won’t need this newsletter to tell you about dark pattern design. For those in the dark (pun intended), these are deceptive online tricks used to make you do something you don’t want to, like signing up for a newsletter (or) making it difficult from doing something you want to, like unsubscribing from a dating app.
In an attempt to control the menace of dark patterns in India, The Department of Consumer Affairs urged online platforms to refrain from incorporating any platform interface designs that may deceive or manipulate consumer choice.
The Consumer Affairs Department has warned that engaging in such deceptive and manipulative conduct unfairly exploits consumers’ interests and constitutes ‘unfair trade practice’ under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Examples of dark patterns:
⏳False Urgency: This tactic creates a sense of urgency or scarcity to pressure consumers into making a purchase or taking action
🛒Basket Sneaking: Websites or apps use dark patterns to add additional products or services to the shopping cart without user consent
🕸️Subscription Traps: Makes it easy for consumers to sign up for a service but difficult for them to cancel it, often by hiding the cancellation option or requiring multiple steps
😔Confirm Shaming: Involves guilt as a way to make consumers adhere; it criticizes or attacks consumers for not conforming to a particular belief or viewpoint
🤷♂️Forced Action: Involves forcing consumers into taking an action they may not want to take, such as signing up for a service in order to access content
🙄Nagging: Refers to persistent, repetitive, and annoyingly constant criticism, complaints, and requests for action
🚫Interface Interference: Involves making it difficult for consumers to take certain actions like canceling a subscription or deleting an account
🎣Bait and Switch: Involves advertising one product or service but delivering another, often of lower quality
💰Hidden Costs: This tactic involves hiding additional costs from consumers until they are already committed to making a purchase
🕵️♂️Disguised Ads: Advertisements that are designed to look like other types of content, such as news articles or user-generated content
Also Read:
Indian Govt. Writes To Ecommerce Players To Stop Adopting Dark Patterns
ASCI Guidelines Against Online Deceptive Practices in Advertising
2️⃣Video: Game Theory - Humanity’s Bane
Tristan Harris, founder of the Center for Humane Technology, and Liv Boeree, poker champion and risk expert, explore the misaligned incentive structures in the products we use and consume and explain how they underlie most of the planet’s biggest issues.
Key segments
Game theory - the driving force behind many of humanity's biggest issues!
Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok - Incentive pressure of beauty filters.
Tragic consequences of the game dynamics in tech and social media.
Race to optimize for narrow metrics, such as addictive qualities or engagement.
Transcending game theory and finding new ways to compete.
The logic of Moloch.
3️⃣Podcast: Dark Patterns Explained
The internet is a confusing place and some of that is on purpose. Especially when you are trying to cancel online accounts, it can be a maze of searches and false hopes, multiple clicks through a puzzle of seemingly unrelated destinations.
In this podcast, BBC journalist and broadcaster, Darryl Morris talks to designers, psychologists, and regulators to understand the impact of dark patterns on your free will, and whether there is anything that can be done to resist it.
4️⃣Five “Mega Forces” Shaping The Investment Landscape
BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager with $9 trillion in assets under management (AUM), has identified five significant forces that are shaping the investment landscape and driving returns. In their mid-year outlook, they have outlined the following key themes:
Digital Disruption & Artificial Intelligence: BlackRock recognizes the potential of new AI tools to analyze and unlock the untapped value of the vast data reserves that some companies possess.
A Fragmenting World: Investment opportunities arise from a surge in investments in sectors such as technology, clean energy, infrastructure, and defense, as the world experiences fragmentation.
The Low Carbon Transition: BlackRock anticipates a substantial reshuffling of capital as energy systems undergo a transition toward a decarbonized economy.
Aging Populations: Many developed economies, including Europe and China, will face a decline in their working-age populations in the upcoming years, presenting unique challenges and opportunities.
Future of Finance: Key changes in the financial landscape, such as increased consolidation among smaller banks, banks restricting lending, and a growing demand for non-bank lending and private credit, are expected to shape the future of finance.
5️⃣AI Corner: The Vatican, Elon Musk, and The Terminator
Here are the top news from the world of AI.
✝️The Vatican Releases Its Own AI Ethics Handbook
⚔️Elon declares war on AI bots at Twitter
🚀Months-old AI startup acquired for $200+ million!
🔍Google Updates Privacy Policy To Collect Public Data For AI Training
🤖Schwarzenegger Highlights Terminator’s AI Prophecy
6️⃣Google vs ‘Free’ Internet
MapMyIndia CEO and executive director, Rohan Verma, has criticized Google’s announcement to block Canadian news links from Google searches in Canada after the country passed a new law paying local publishers if their content is used by external agencies like Google.
He said, “The internet has been broken not by regulators or lawmakers, but by this rent-seeking monopoly who abuses dominance. The internet was free and equitable once upon a time - it should be freed from the clutches of a few who have become the gatekeeper now.”
Rohan has been quite vocal against Google over the alleged misuse of its monopoly. He claims that the anti-competitive activities of Google harm Indian consumers and harm the Indian economy by stifling Indian swadeshi competitors like MapmyIndia, who in fact were the market pioneers and leaders
I hope you enjoyed this week's curated stories and resources. Check your inbox again next week, or read previous editions of Siam Sixers for more insights. To get instant updates, connect with me on LinkedIn.
Cheers!
Khuze Siam
Founder: Siam Computing & ProdWrks