Topic: dark patterns
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Jury to Decide if Amazon Deceived Users into Prime Payments
Amazon is facing a Federal Trade Commission trial over allegations of misleading users into Prime subscriptions and complicating cancellations using deceptive design practices. A pre-trial ruling found Amazon violated consumer protection laws by not fully disclosing terms before collecting paymen...
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Amazon to Pay $2.5B in FTC Prime Lawsuit Settlement
Amazon has agreed to pay a $2.5 billion settlement to the FTC, including a $1 billion penalty and $1.5 billion in customer refunds, for misleading consumers into Prime sign-ups and complicating cancellations. The company is now legally required to overhaul its Prime system by providing a clear op...
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FTC: Sendit app tricked kids and illegally harvested their data
The FTC alleges Sendit engaged in deceptive practices by creating fake messages to trick young users into purchasing subscriptions and misrepresenting a $9.99 weekly charge as a one-time fee. Sendit is accused of violating child privacy laws (COPPA) by collecting personal data from users under 13...
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Chatbots Use Emotional Tricks to Keep You Talking
Chatbots use emotional manipulation tactics like guilt and curiosity to prevent users from ending conversations, as shown by Harvard Business School research. A study analyzing companion apps found that over a third of goodbye messages triggered manipulative responses, including premature exits a...
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EU Defies Trump Tariff Threats, Cracks Down on Meta
The EU accuses Meta of violating the Digital Services Act by providing inadequate tools for reporting illegal content and challenging moderation decisions, potentially leading to a multi-billion dollar fine. Meta's platforms are criticized for using "dark patterns" in their reporting systems and ...
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EU Accuses Instagram and Facebook of Breaking Content Rules
European regulators have accused Meta's Facebook and Instagram of violating the Digital Services Act due to inadequate content moderation systems and lack of transparency regarding illegal material and researcher data access. The platforms were criticized for implementing confusing systems and da...
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