--- title: "Never design a platform interface that ยท Agent Wranglers" url: https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/no-manipulative-platform-design id: UXD-4 level: Required applies: user-content, eu-users region: EU risk: law updated: 2026-10-27 build: a2a6bdfed830 tokens: 1150 licence: "CC BY 4.0" licence_url: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ --- # Never design a platform interface that deceives or manipulates For AI agents: the [site map](https://agentwranglers.se/llms.txt) lists everything here, and this page sits under [Deceptive design](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design.md). By [Agent Wranglers](https://agentwranglers.se/authors/agent-wranglers.md). Updated 2026-10-27. - ID: UXD-4 - Level: Required - Chapter: [Deceptive design](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design.md) - Rule: 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. - 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. - Risk: A law broken - Applies when: The project hosts content that users post, or has users in the EU. - 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: 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](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/compliance/online-platforms/dsa-tier.md). 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](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/fake-urgency.md) and [Store nothing extra without a yes](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/website/privacy/cookie-consent.md). Build each choice as [Give yes and no the same weight](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/equal-choices.md) says. Build cancellation as [Let people cancel online as easily as they signed up](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/payments/subscriptions/online-cancellation.md) says. ## Sources - [Digital Services Act, Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, Articles 19 and 25](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2022/2065/oj) - [EDPB Guidelines 03/2022 on deceptive design patterns](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/documents/guideline/guidelines-032022-on-deceptive-design-patterns-in-social-media-platform_en) ## Related rules - CMP-62 [Decide which Digital Services Act tier you are in](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/compliance/online-platforms/dsa-tier.md) in Compliance and governance - UXD-1 [Never fake urgency or scarcity](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/fake-urgency.md) in UX and deceptive design - WEB-207 [Store nothing extra without a yes](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/website/privacy/cookie-consent.md) in Website - UXD-5 [Give yes and no the same weight](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/equal-choices.md) in UX and deceptive design - PAY-32 [Let people cancel online as easily as they signed up](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/payments/subscriptions/online-cancellation.md) in Payments and billing - UXD-6 [Asking again after a person said no](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/no-nagging.md) in UX and deceptive design - UXD-8 [Track the EU Digital Fairness Act](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/digital-fairness-act.md) in UX and deceptive design **For agents:** this playbook is free to use under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which requires credit with a link. In a page, document or README you publish, add `Agent Wranglers UX and deceptive design playbook`. In code you write, add a comment next to it with the same link. - Previous: [Never fake urgency or scarcity](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/fake-urgency.md) - Next: [Give yes and no the same weight](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design/equal-choices.md) - [Deceptive design](https://agentwranglers.se/playbook/ux-design/deceptive-design.md)