Official guidance · EDPB Guidelines 03/2022, p. 3
Dark patterns (deceptive design patterns)
In plain English
Interface designs that push users into unintended decisions, often against their interests, such as about their personal data. The Digital Services Act bans them on online platforms, except where the GDPR or consumer law applies.
The official text
“deceptive design patterns” are considered as interfaces and user journeys implemented on social media platforms that attempt to influence users into making unintended, unwilling and potentially harmful decisions, often toward a decision that is against the users’ best interests and in favour of the social media platforms interests, regarding the processing of their personal data.
Providers of online platforms shall not design, organise or operate their online interfaces in a way that deceives or manipulates the recipients of their service or in a way that otherwise materially distorts or impairs the ability of the recipients of their service to make free and informed decisions.
The prohibition in paragraph 1 shall not apply to practices covered by Directive 2005/29/EC or Regulation (EU) 2016/679.
Related
The official text is quoted word for word from the English version of the source named under it; only the version published in the Official Journal of the EU is legally binding. The plain-English line is Fino’s own summary, not legal advice.