Dark Patterns - How companies use dark patterns to keep your subscribed

"When you sign up for digital service, sometimes they make it difficult to unsubscribe."

"You see these tricks every time you order a product online, use a search engine, sign up for a streaming service, or join a social media community."

Dark Patterns

When you start getting emails you have unsubscribed from, what happens if you mark them as “junk”?

I use a product called unroll.me.  It does a lot of unsubscribing for me.

It is free.   It cut down on my email a lot.

There must be a downside to the took, but I don't know what it is.

Kevin

Peter Rooke wrote:"When you sign up for digital service, sometimes they make it difficult to unsubscribe."

When you sign up for anything they make it difficult to unsubscribe. I hate the job title "membership retention consultant". It's one step above "bully".

I don't subscribe to a lot of services simply because I know that for one reason or another I'd have to fight tooth and nail to pause or terminate them. I just did put a service on pause and now they're spamming me daily or more often to re-register. And that was one of the easier services to get out of.

It's like the deal when I make a charitable contribution and get back a thank-you letter that contains a solicitation for another contribution, listing suggested values. And what you sent last time is the lowest suggested value. It virtually ensures that I'm not sending anything more for at least 5 years.

There's such a thing as trying too hard. And if you do, you'll never have me as a customer/contributor.

Tim,

Sometimes I see a charity such as the 9/11 Museum in NYC that reminds me of something that I was part of.  If a relative went through a disease I want to contribute.  I don't like being asked for more money.  I take standard tax deduction each year so I don't think the receipts do me any good.   I'd rather give money without identifying myself.  

Kevin