Account deletion obstruction
Deactivation presented as deletion
A fictional platform labels a control “Delete account”, but the confirmation only hides the profile and leaves data and reactivation available indefinitely.
OECD aligned example group · 16 comparisons
Obstruction interface examples
Adds unnecessary friction, barriers or dead ends to dissuade the user from a choice, right or task.
Select one example to inspect the complete problematic and neutral HTML interfaces. These fictional comparisons support learning and review. The group is a working taxonomy, not a statutory category or a conclusion that a particular interface is unlawful.
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Account deletion obstruction
Deletion buried behind an unsupported ticket
A fictional retailer places account deletion behind six help pages and requires a support ticket containing an order number even for users who never ordered.
Comparison prevention
Plans use incompatible pricing units
A fictional provider shows one plan per week, another per four weeks and a third per gigabyte, without a consistent total or usage assumption.
Comparison prevention
Plan details cannot be retained side by side
A fictional quote tool reveals one plan at a time, clears the previous plan whenever another is opened and provides no stable summary of limits, excess or exclusions.
Customer-support obstruction
Support bot loops without escalation
A fictional subscription service routes every “charged after cancellation” message through the same three bot articles and offers no human or written case route.
Customer-support obstruction
Contact form requires irrelevant purchase data
A fictional retailer’s only contact form requires an order number and rejects enquiries from people seeking accessibility information before purchase.
Dead end
Refund form loops after submission
A fictional refund form accepts every field, then returns to the first screen with “Something went wrong” and no saved state or alternative route.
Dead end
Cancellation confirmation changes no account state
A fictional service shows “Cancellation complete” but returns the user to an active-plan dashboard and continues renewal without a receipt or status event.
Cancellation friction
Online signup requires telephone cancellation
A fictional streaming service accepts signup in three online steps but requires a weekday telephone call, repeated identity questions and a retention interview to cancel.
Cancellation friction
Five save offers block the final exit
A fictional account shows a new discount, pause offer or survey after every click on “Cancel”, and the final confirmation appears only after five refusals.
Intermediate currency
Gem bundle hides an item’s real-money cost
A fictional game prices an item at 1,350 gems but sells gems only in uneven bundles, with no Australian-dollar equivalent near the purchase action.
Intermediate currency
Unused tokens remain after a service booking
A fictional marketplace sells 100 tokens for $10 while a booking costs 84 tokens and no service costs a multiple that uses the remaining balance.
Obstructed alternative
Guest checkout hidden behind account copy
A fictional shop displays account creation as the only button and places guest checkout inside a collapsed paragraph titled “Other information”.
Obstructed alternative
Rejecting optional tracking needs multiple panels
A fictional consent layer accepts optional tracking in one click but requires opening three panels and disabling twelve switches to refuse it.
Privacy maze
Advertising opt-out split across unrelated menus
A fictional service places audience ads, partner sharing and measurement controls under three differently named menus with no summary of the final state.
Privacy maze
Privacy choice silently re-enables elsewhere
A fictional account lets users disable activity sharing on the web, but opening the mobile app silently restores the setting under a different label.
Sources used across this example group
Evidence base
Sources
- Dark commercial patternsOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · OECD Digital Economy Papers No. 336
- Competition and Consumer Amendment (Unfair Trading Practices) Act 2026Federal Register of Legislation · Primary · checked 2026-09-14 · C2026A00064
- An Ontology of Dark Patterns KnowledgeGray et al.; ACM CHI 2024 · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · DOI 10.1145/3613904.3642436; arXiv:2309.09640
- Competition and Consumer Act 2010, including Schedule 2: Australian Consumer LawFederal Register of Legislation · Primary · checked 2026-09-14 · C2004A00109
- Microsoft in court for allegedly misleading millions of Australians over Microsoft 365 subscriptionsAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission · Primary · checked 2026-09-14
- HelloFresh and Youfoodz in court over alleged subscription trapsAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission · Primary · checked 2026-09-14
- Manipulative conduct in the digital economy, pricing claims and competition in essential services among ACCC priorities for year aheadAustralian Competition and Consumer Commission · Primary · checked 2026-08-09
- Behavioural study on unfair commercial practices in the digital environmentEuropean Commission, Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · DOI 10.2838/859030; ISBN 978-92-76-52316-1