Beyond Dark Patterns: A Concept-Based Framework for Ethical Software Design
Name
3613904.3642781.pdf
Size
1.31 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
a6d6bb4e53de4282e8125774709f368c
Author(s)
Caragay, Evan
Xiong, Katherine
Zong, Jonathan
Jackson, Daniel
Date Issued
May 11, 2024
Publisher
ACM
Citation
Caragay, Evan, Xiong, Katherine, Zong, Jonathan and Jackson, Daniel. 2024. "Beyond Dark Patterns: A Concept-Based Framework for Ethical Software Design."
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Current dark pattern research tells designers what not to do, but how do they know what to do? In contrast to prior approaches that focus on patterns to avoid and their underlying principles, we present a framework grounded in positive expected behavior against which deviations can be judged. To articulate this expected behavior, we use concepts—abstract units of functionality that compose applications. We define a design as dark when its concepts violate users’ expectations, and benefit the application provider at the user’s expense. Though user expectations can differ, users tend to develop common expectations as they encounter the same concepts across multiple applications, which we can record in a concept catalog as standard concepts. We evaluate our framework and concept catalog through three studies, illustrating their ability to describe existing dark patterns, evaluate nuanced designs, and document common application functionality.
Description
CHI '24: Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems May 11–16, 2024, Honolulu, HI, USA
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
MIT Morningside Academy for Design
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642781
