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Dark Pattern & Deceptive Design Audits
Dark Pattern & Deceptive Design Audits
We Audit Beyond the Interface
Manipulation isn’t always visible. It’s often built into timing, defaults, architecture, and decision flows — subtly steering users in ways that benefit platforms over people.
We don’t just flag dark patterns on the surface. We audit whole systems of influence: how design, personalisation, and behavioural targeting combine to suppress consent, distort choice, or block exit. We do dark patterns audit.
Our reviews go deep, assessing impact, risk, and legality under data protection, consumer law, the AI Act, and the Digital Services and Markets Acts.
This isn’t a checklist. Our design audit is a forensic review of digital design logic.
What We Examine
Interface Design
Dark patterns in UI — from visual hierarchy and default settings to misleading copy, disguised ads, and manipulative nudges.
System Architecture
Triggered and conditional behaviours that shift based on account status, actions, or demographics.
Sludge & Friction
Obstructive flows that delay or discourage cancelling, opting out, or accessing rights.
Personalisation & Targeting
Profiling-driven experiences that nudge, pressure, or discriminate through default settings.
Risk & Legal Exposure
We map potential breaches and tensions across UK & EU law
What We Deliver
Clear, Actionable Outputs
Every audit delivers a structured, evidence-based report tailored to your system’s design, legal exposure, and user impact, ready for legal, compliance, and product teams to use. Our dark patterns audit and design audit provides you with:
- A ranked analysis of manipulative tactics by legal, ethical, and reputational risk
- Visual walkthroughs with annotated screenshots and user journey maps
- Practical recommendations for redesign or mitigation
We don’t just flag issues —
We give you the tools to fix them and move forward with confidence.
Who This Is For
Understanding the architecture of deceptive design is key — whether you're driving accountability, redesigning journeys, or exposing manipulation.
We support:
- Regulators and oversight bodies conducting investigations
- Design and product teams removing deceptive patterns
- DPOs and compliance leads preparing for audits or scrutiny
- Civil society groups mapping harms for policy or litigation
- Dark Patterns Audits and Design Audits
What We Offer
- Standalone design audits of key user journeys or flows
- System-wide reviews across web, mobile, and app environments
- Ongoing advisory during product development or redesign
- Custom briefings for boards, compliance teams, or public reports
Every dark patterns audit engagement is tailored — scoped to your system’s complexity, risk, and regulatory landscape.
See the system. Spot the snare. Shift the standard