From the team
Thoughts on ethical design, dark patterns, and building a more honest web.
May 28, 2026
A Freakonomics episode called it “sludge.” Academic researchers documented it. ProPublica named the companies. The evidence points to the same conclusion: the friction in American health insurance isn’t a bug — it’s a product.
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May 10, 2026
The major real estate portals weren't built to showcase your listing — they were built to sell your attention. A dedicated property site is what happens when the home comes first.
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Mar 23, 2026
The EU explicitly prohibits dark patterns by name. Norway's research changed how regulators think. In the US, there's no federal law — just a growing patchwork of state legislation that leaves most Americans with inconsistent protection.
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Mar 23, 2026
The US has some of the safest elevators in the world. That didn't happen by accident — it happened because of a certification system that took self-assessment away from the industry. The web needs the same thing.
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Aug 9, 2023
In a virtual era where your website is your storefront, a custom design isn't a luxury — it's how small businesses compete, build trust, and avoid the dark patterns that erode it.
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Aug 4, 2023
From roach motels to artificial scarcity, dark patterns are engineered to exploit users. Understanding them is the first step to building something better.
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Aug 1, 2023
Dark patterns trap users in mazes of confusion. Ethical UX design does the opposite — it builds trust, fosters transparency, and respects the user's right to make informed choices.
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