Dark Patterns and the Ethics of Friction

In the digital world, design decisions can influence behaviour in powerful and often invisible ways. This week in our Behavioural Design for a Sustainable Future student series, we’re featuring Valentina Orellana Lasso, a product designer and current Master’s student in Customer Experience and Innovation at IE University.

Valentina’s piece invites us to look closely at the ethics of digital friction, and how behavioural design can either respect or manipulate user agency.

Unsubscribing as a Test of Endurance

By Valentina Orellana Lasso on the ethics of digital friction.

In her visual insight titled “The Exit Maze”, Valentina examines a widespread but under-discussed example of dark patterns: unsubscribe flows designed to frustrate, delay, or confuse the user.

Her piece explores how tools like nudges, friction, and interface design, originally developed to support user needs, are increasingly being used to serve business goals at the user’s expense. Whether it's hiding unsubscribe buttons or inserting extra steps, these tactics weaponise behavioural insight to reduce churn rather than build trust.

“Just because we can design behaviour,” Valentina asks, “should we?”

She draws on the EAST framework (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) to reflect on how transparency can be restored through consistent and respectful user journeys. If it takes one click to sign up, she argues, it should take no more than one to leave.

The UK government’s recent regulation, requiring two-click cancellations, shows public policy is beginning to catch up with design ethics. But as Valentina notes, real change will come when designers themselves embrace accountability as part of their creative toolkit.

“As a future designer, I don’t want to build mazes. I want to build trust.”

About the Author

Valentina Orellana Lasso is an Ecuadorian designer currently pursuing a Master’s in Customer Experience and Innovation at IE University in Madrid. With a background in product design, she brings a customer-centric approach to everything she creates. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to inclusivity and sustainability, aiming to design experiences that are not only thoughtful and ethical, but also accessible and future-forward.

🔗 Connect with Valentina on LinkedIn

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