Dark Patterns

Dark patterns are tricks that make internet users click on things they don't want to.

Above and below, a typical dark pattern.

It starts (top) with something innocuous and confusing: that patterned white bar across the bottom blocking you from reading the article.

Note the tiny white square at the upper right of the white bar.

Clicking it brings up the same page, but this time without the tile pattern and with the addition of a small blue triangle in the upper right portion of the now plain white horizontal bar; the tiny white square at the upper right of it remains unchanged (below).

When you click the triangle, a tiny grey X appears in the little white square at the upper right of the horizontal white bar (below).

Click on the X and the obstructive white bar disappears (below)

and you can finally read the article.

But wait — there's more!

Below, 

two dark pattern exemplars

as experienced and described by me in real time.

These sorts of videos, shot with Meta Stories glasses, is where their hands-free feature trumps using a phone camera.