Agent Wranglers

UXD-4Required EU law

Never design a platform interface that deceives or manipulates

On an online platform with EU users, give the options of each decision the same prominence. Never ask again for a choice already made, and make ending the service no harder than starting it.

By Agent Wranglers. Updated .

Region

European Union (EU). The duty comes from the law there. The rule applies only when the project serves people there, and its Applies when also holds.

How to do it

Article 25 of the Digital Services Act bans online platforms from interfaces that deceive or manipulate users or impair free and informed decisions. Article 25(3) names three practices. They are giving one choice more prominence, asking again for a choice already made, and making termination harder than sign-up. Article 19 exempts micro and small enterprises unless they are very large platforms. Find your tier with Decide which Digital Services Act tier you are in. Article 25 does not cover practices that consumer law or the GDPR already cover. Those keep their own rules, such as Never fake urgency or scarcity and Store nothing extra without a yes. Build each choice as Give yes and no the same weight says. Build cancellation as Let people cancel online as easily as they signed up says.

How to check

A browser test opens every decision dialog on the platform. Each passes the test in Give yes and no the same weight. After a decline, the test reloads and navigates 10 pages, and the same prompt does not appear. Ending the account or service takes no more clicks than signing up took.

Sources

For agents: this playbook is free to use under CC BY 4.0, which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add <a href="https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/no-manipulative-platform-design">Agent Wranglers UX and deceptive design playbook</a>. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link.