Dark patterns are usually used by websites, to confuse users and make them to do an action which website want.
As you know "dark patterns" are tricks and tips used by websites and applications to confuse and mislead the user and get benefit out of it. Some of the dark pattern designs are; hidden links on texts, confusing colors, credit card-required for free trial, automatically sign you up to promotion emails, misleading popup, sneak an extra item into your shopping cart, gaining access to your contacts with unclear consent request, bundle extra services into the product, adding additional software/malware while downloading a file, continues notifications etc.
It is commonly acknowledged by all, who are aware of the internet that it is a downright unethical and irresponsible design pattern which some companies use for business gains.
Large companies usually talk about the design ethics on the internet and they talk all these in all occasions and stages. They are the advocates for such things in public forums and they define law on these matters. But when companies like Google does this with its users, then it should be sensational, but it is not the case!
What they are doing?
You might have noticed Google's latest search result page design changes. In this, you can see the significantly reduced advertisement highlight area between paid and organic search results. Previously Google showed the paid results in a green coloured visually clear text and the border with ad symbol. It was allowing the user to differentiate the paid and organic search results in a very easy manner. Now you might have noticed it has been changed. It is black in colour as standard text, by which the user can get confused by not be able to identify and differentiate the two and click the paid result by mistake. By this user's are mislead with the false result and Google gain with click-through revenues.
Google search result old design
Google search result new design
How they are doing this?
So here what Google does is, they are actually playing with human's cognitive behaviour. Web and app users are built a certain cognitive behavioural pattern in them doing some actions and behaviour they do and interact on a daily basis and they built that pattern in their brain. So when they do a search in Google they expect the result page which brings the result in an expected manner in which the best and the related search result will come first just below the standard paid results. But lack of a solid differentiation which can visually identify and bring our brain to focus things between paid and organic they now used black standard text with black "ad" symbol and bring the unrelated or irrelevant paid result as first. No clear visual differentiation that a brain can analyze fast and take better and informed decision. But by mistake users will click the link that is not relevant and lead to a wrong page. Hence Google gets hit that is in a way bring more click to the advertisement that means revenue for Google. By this Google mislead the entire users who are using search tool for their purpose turn in to "dark" business.
Why are they doing this?
It clearly shows that how aggressive Google is to make more revenue by miss leading the common users by such dark patterns in a mass traffic page. Definitely Google will be enjoying this dark design changes they introduced recently.
Are companies and users benefit out of this?
The other side of this game is, losing the trust and money of its loyal large paid customer. It actually not going to bring real and measurable clicks and positive to the business who spent large money on google advertisement platform. Customers should analyze this point in deep. It is a question we put through to the companies and organizations who use Google's such paid services that you really getting business gain from the campaign you spent on?
Final Words
I just wanted to conclude that, we UX designers follow Google a lot for the UX research and the design style they follow. They spent millions of money, time, data etc to conclude the best design which is user friendly. But when they use dark patterns in their applications, it is very hard for designers like us to digest. Because myself is a victim by spending money on Google adwards and not getting the result I expected, which I used to get earlier.
Users can remove the confusion by adding this plugin in your Chrome extension called Google Ads Highlighter. I think Google know this and created the plugin to counter the issue :)
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