Dark Patterns: Where’s the Line?
Author: Jay Thomas
UX Designer who builds UX research teams, leads design teams, and implements Jobs to be Done (JTBD) in companies
There are two types of dark patterns.
First—the dirty kind. These actively deceive users:
Tiny fine print, hidden checkboxes, a “Cancel” button in light grey on a grey background, close icons that only appear after a delay.
Tactics like these can temporarily boost metrics (e.g. lower churn rate), but they leave users with a bitter aftertaste and damage long-term trust.
Second—the sneaky but mostly honest kind.
These don’t block an action, but slow it down or make users reconsider.
Example:
Netflix doesn’t hide the “Cancel” button. But before you unsubscribe, they show how many days are left, whether your viewing history will be saved, and even tease upcoming releases.
They don’t stop you from canceling—but they make you think twice.
The key distinction:
If users feel tricked after completing the action, that’s bad UX.
If they stay by choice, persuaded by clear value—that’s a fair balance.
Jay Thomas
A UX strategist with a decade of experience in building and leading UX research and design teams. He specializes in implementing Jobs to be Done (JTBD) methodologies and designing both complex B2B admin panels and high-traffic consumer-facing features used by millions.
Previously, he led UX development at DomClick, where he scaled the UX research team and built a company-wide design system. He is a guest lecturer at HSE and Bang Bang Education and has studied JTBD at Harvard Business School.
Jay has worked with ONY, QIWI, Sber, CIAN, Megafon, Shell, MTS, Adidas, and other industry leaders, helping them create data-driven, user-centered experiences that drive engagement and business growth.
