Be Aware of Game's Tricks: Dark Patterns in Online Gaming
Online gaming practices under scrutiny: Increasing concerns over manipulation techniques used in various digital games.
Berlin - Online gaming can become a financial burden if you're not careful due to excessive spending on virtual items. The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) warns of this potential financial strain, especially when players don't realize how much they're spending. This issue is amplified when costs are hidden in package prices or in a virtual currency.
The vzbv has examined five popular online games and found manipulative and deceptive elements in all of them. These "dark patterns" can lead to excessive gaming, as human behavior is deliberately exploited and manipulated.
Dark Patterns Galore
In-app purchases and excessive gaming are encouraged through various mechanisms and questionable practices:
- Deceptive pricing: Item prices are often hidden by displaying only package prices, offering misleading discounts, or using a virtual currency.
- Daily rewards and countdowns: These encourage gamers to spend more time in the game, sometimes even rewarding them for watching ads or sharing personal data.
- In-game currencies and purchase prompts: These can pop-up unexpectedly in the middle of the game, encouraging you to spend more money.
Children and Young Gamers at Risk
When these strategies are used in games designed for children and teenagers, the risks are especially serious due to their inexperience and enthusiasm for gaming. Many of these games also feature purchase prompts that are deemed inappropriate by the vzbv.
Protect Yourself and Your Kids
To prevent unwanted in-app purchases, you can block them on both Android and iOS devices. Here's how:
On Android:
- Google Play Settings: Enable Require authentication for purchases and set up authentication for all purchases.
- Parental Controls: Use Google’s Family Link app to restrict purchases and set spending limits.
On iOS:
- Screen Time Settings: Enable Screen Time, set up a Screen Time passcode, and restrict in-app purchases.
- Family Sharing: Enable Family Sharing, set the Ask to Buy feature, and manage purchases across linked accounts.
By understanding these strategies and taking preventive measures, you can protect yourself and your children from the manipulative tactics of dark patterns and unwanted in-app purchases.
- Incorporating technology into one's lifestyle can extend beyond smartphones and gadgets, as the tactics of dark patterns in online gaming often involve deceptive pricing and in-game currencies that can lead to excessive spending.
- To safeguard children from these dubious practices, it's crucial to be aware of dark patterns, especially in games designed for them, as their inexperience and enthusiasm for gaming make them more vulnerable.
- With deals-and-discounts being commonplace in shopping for gadgets and smartphones, it's equally important to apply similar caution and knowledge when it comes to in-app purchases within online gaming platforms.
