Move over, dark patterns, you’re being.. er.. nudged out by digital nudging. What is digital nudging? Well, you get a digital nudge any time you use a digital platform and, where you have a choice to make, the ‘right’ or ‘correct’ choice is made the easiest to choose, or the most attractive. Of course, right and correct are in the eyes of the marketer or website providing the nudge, not the consumer.

Legislation introduced in Washington would make the practice of using so-called ‘dark patterns’ illegal. The bipartisan (!) bill is called the DETOUR Act, and stands for the Deceptive Experiences To Online Users Reduction (DETOUR) Act. Dark patterns are web interface designs created to manipulate users into taking actions and providing data that they otherwise wouldn’t. Dark patterns are based on behavioral psychology.