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Title: | 'We’re not that Gullible!’ — Revealing Dark Pattern Mental Models of 11-12 Year-Old Scottish Children |
Authors: | Renaud, K Sengul, C Coopamootoo, K Clift, B Taylor, J Springett, M Morrison, B |
Keywords: | human and societal aspects of security and privacy;social aspects of security and privacy;children;dark patterns |
Issue Date: | 23-Apr-2024 |
Publisher: | Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) |
Citation: | Renaud, K. et al. (2024) ''We’re not that Gullible!’ — Revealing Dark Pattern Mental Models of 11-12 Year-Old Scottish Children', ACM Transactions on Computer - Human Interaction, 31 (3), 33, pp. 1 - 41. doi: 10.1145/3660342 |
Abstract: | Deceptive techniques known as dark patterns specifically target online users. Children are particularly vulnerable as they might lack the skills to recognise and resist these deceptive attempts. To be effective, interventions to forewarn and forearm should build on a comprehensive understanding of children’s existing mental models. To this end, we carried out a study with 11- to 12-year-old Scottish children to reveal their mental models of dark patterns. They were acutely aware of online deception, referring to deployers as being ‘up to no good.’ Yet, they were overly vigilant and construed worst-case outcomes, with even a benign warning triggering suspicion. We recommend that rather than focusing on specific instances of dark patterns in awareness raising, interventions should prioritise improving children’s understanding of the characteristics of, and the motivations behind, deceptive online techniques. By so doing, we can help them to develop a more robust defence against these deceptive practices. |
Description: | For the purpose of open access, the authors have applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission. |
URI: | https://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/28565 |
DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1145/3660342 |
ISSN: | 1073-0516 |
Other Identifiers: | ORCiD: Karen Renaud https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7187-6531 ORCiD: Cigdem Sengul https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6011-9690 ORCiD: Kovila Coopamootoo https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8793-7122 ORCiD: Bryan Clift https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6493-6017 ORCiD: Jacqui Taylor https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2145-5077 ORCiD: Mark Springett https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3609-8241 ORCiD: Ben Morrison https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2738-6498 33 |
Appears in Collections: | Dept of Computer Science Research Papers |
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