Leveraging Behavioral Science to Combat Dark Patterns: Evidence from Applied Experiments in France

After a short introduction to BIT and to our approaches, I will present work from three recent applied projects conducted in France, all looking at how behavioural sciences can help 1) quantify and qualify the impact of dark patterns on behaviour (and wellbeing), and 2) design and test preventative levers against dark patterns to help (durably) prevent online harms. This will include : an online lab experiment to test the impact (and survival of this impact) of different cookie banners on websites (with the CNIL, Inria, and DITP) ; an online RCT testing the potential of inoculation against some dark patterns employed on e-commerce websites (with the DGCCRF and DITP) ; and a discussion on an ongoing lab experiment looking at testing levers to prevent problematic gambling (with the OFDT).