Dark patterns are user interface (UI) strategies deliberately designed to influence users to perform actions or make choices that benefit online service providers. This mixed methods study examines dark patterns employed by social networking sites (SNSs) with the intent to deter users from disabling accounts. We recorded our attempts to disable experimental accounts in 25 SNSs drawn from Alexa’s 2020 Top Sites list. As a result of our systematic content analysis of the recordings, we identified major types of dark patterns (Complete Obstruction, Temporary Obstruction, Obfuscation, Inducements to Reconsider, and Consequences) and unified them into a conceptual model, based on the differences and similarities within nuanced subtypes in the user account disabling context. The Dark Pattern Typology presented at the 12th International Conference on Social Media and Society is further illustrated in this work. We document the distribution of the subtypes in our sample SNSs, exemplifying dark UI design choices. All of the sites used at least one type of dark pattern. Our findings provide empirical evidence for these pervasive—yet rarely discussed—strategies in the social media industry. Users who wish to discontinue using SNSs—to protect their privacy, break an addiction, and/or improve their general well-being—may find it difficult or nearly impossible to do so. Dark patterns, as common UI design strategies, require further research to determine whether particularly manipulative and user-disempowering varieties may warrant more stringent social media industry regulation.

中文翻译：

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识别用户帐户禁用界面中的深色模式：内容分析结果

暗模式是故意设计的用户界面 (UI) 策略，旨在影响用户执行操作或做出有利于在线服务提供商的选择。这项混合方法研究检查了社交网站 (SNS) 所采用的暗模式，旨在阻止用户禁用帐户。我们在 Alexa 2020 年热门站点列表中的 25 个 SNS 中记录了禁用实验帐户的尝试。通过对录音进行系统的内容分析，我们识别了主要类型的黑暗模式（完全阻碍、暂时阻碍、混淆、重新考虑的诱因和后果），并根据内部的差异和相似之处将它们统一到一个概念模型中。用户帐户禁用上下文中的细微差别子类型。这项工作进一步阐述了第十二届社交媒体与社会国际会议上提出的黑暗模式类型学。我们记录了示例 SNS 中子类型的分布，举例说明了深色 UI 设计选择。所有网站都至少使用一种深色图案。我们的研究结果为社交媒体行业中这些普遍但很少讨论的策略提供了经验证据。希望停止使用社交网络服务（以保护隐私、戒掉毒瘾和/或改善整体健康）的用户可能会发现很难或几乎不可能这样做。深色模式作为常见的 UI 设计策略，需要进一步研究，以确定特别具有操纵性和剥夺用户权力的品种是否需要更严格的社交媒体行业监管。