Now Is Really the Time to Pay Attention to Dark Patterns – Seriously

By Daniel Kaufman and Randal M. Shaheen on December 7, 2022 Posted in Advertising

For months now we have been talking about dark patterns and all the regulatory chatter associated with them. Many, including us, have been wondering whether it would end up being much ado about nothing, with dark patterns just being a new name for practices such as bait and switch that have long been considered unlawful. … Continue Reading

Instead of Shining a Light on Dark Patterns, New FTC Report Leaves Many Questions Unanswered

By Daniel Kaufman and Randal M. Shaheen on September 20, 2022 Posted in FTC

For some time now, dark patterns have been quite the trending topic for both marketers and privacy professionals. Regulators have frequently railed against dark patterns that purport to manipulate user choices, usually through manipulative user interfaces. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation called the DETOUR Act that would ban dark patterns. And outside this … Continue Reading

The Matrix of Guardrails for the Metaverse Grows (Plus Weekend Movie Viewing Recommendations)

By Amy Ralph Mudge and Michael Ingram on August 26, 2022 Posted in Advertising, Digital Media

We are not quite at the Matrix moment of a red pill/blue pill choice yet, but we are moving closer every day to the possibility of a fully immersive virtual world. And the regulators and watchdogs are already thinking about how we can protect the kids when they venture not outside in the real world … Continue Reading