Dark patterns in community design are manipulative practices that prioritize platform metrics or business goals over genuine community wellbeing. These practices might boost short-term engagement or growth, but often undermine trust and authentic connection. Here’s a deeper look:
Common Dark Patterns in Community Building
1. Exploitative Engagement Mechanisms
- Artificial scarcity: Creating false urgency to participate (“Only 5 spots left!”) when no real limit exists
- Intermittent variable rewards: Designing unpredictable reward systems that trigger dopamine-seeking behavior, similar to gambling mechanics
- Social pressure manipulation: Displaying notifications like “12 people are viewing this event” to create FOMO rather than genuine interest
- Manufactured exclusivity: Creating artificial barriers to entry that serve business goals rather than community health
Examples
LinkedIn’s “Connection Request” Dark Pattern
- Shows notifications suggesting “X people have viewed your profile” but requires a premium subscription to see who they are
- Creates anxiety and curiosity that drives subscription purchases rather than meaningful connection
Facebook Groups’ “Active Now” Indicators
- Displays when members are online, creating subtle pressure to be constantly available
- Creates expectation of immediate response, which fosters anxiety and prevents healthy boundaries
Discord Server Leveling Systems
- Many servers implement bots that reward members with “levels” based purely on message volume
- Incentivizes quantity over quality, leading to meaningless messages just to gain status
2. False Reciprocity
- Forced engagement: Requiring members to perform actions (like posting or commenting) to maintain standing or access
- Mandatory vulnerability: Pushing members to share personal information or experiences before they’ve established trust
- Asymmetric value exchange: Taking significant content or data from members while providing minimal value in return
Examples
Nextdoor’s Contact Upload Requirement
- Forces new users to upload their entire contact list or manually enter addresses of neighbors to “verify” their account
- Harvests valuable contact data under the guise of community safety
Many Professional Communities’ “Give to Get” Rules
- Requiring members to answer other questions before posting their own
- While seemingly fair, often creates transactional rather than genuine helping relationships
Course-Based Communities That Require Testimonials
- Some online courses make access to community support conditional on providing positive reviews
- Creates an environment where honest feedback is discouraged
3. Metrics-Driven Manipulation
- Engagement at all costs: Deliberately designing for conflict or controversy to increase platform activity
- Growth over depth: Consistently prioritizing new member acquisition over nurturing existing relationships
- Vanity metrics obsession: Focusing on easily quantifiable metrics (likes, members, posts) rather than genuine connection quality
Examples
Reddit’s Karma System
- Incentivizes posting content that appeals to majority viewpoints
- Creates echo chambers and discourages authentic but potentially unpopular perspectives
Twitter’s Algorithmic Amplification of Outrage
- Algorithm promotes emotionally charged and divisive content because it generates more engagement
- Undermines healthy discourse in favor of reactions that drive platform metrics
Most Social Platforms’ Infinite Scroll
- Removes natural stopping points to maximize time spent
- Depletes members’ attention and energy that could be directed toward deeper connection
4. Deceptive Community Governance
- Illusory input: Creating the appearance of member voice in decision-making while ignoring actual feedback
- Hidden moderation: Removing content or limiting visibility without transparency
- Selective enforcement: Applying community standards inconsistently based on member status or business impact
Examples
Facebook Groups’ “Community Standards” Inconsistency
- Selective enforcement of rules depending on a member’s status or connection to admins
- Creates unofficial hierarchies and undermines trust in governance
Slack Communities Without Clear Moderation Policies
- Many professional Slack communities operate without transparent governance
- Members don’t know how decisions are made or what behavior might result in removal
YouTube Comment Shadowbanning
- Comments may be hidden from everyone except the commenter
- Creates illusion of participation while silencing voices without transparency
5. Exploiting Emotional Labor
- Unpaid community management: Relying on volunteer moderators without appropriate support or recognition
- Weaponized positivity: Using “good vibes only” policies to suppress legitimate criticism
- Burnout by design: Creating systems that depend on members overextending themselves
Examples
Brand Communities Relying on Unpaid “Ambassadors”
- Companies create unpaid roles with impressive titles but extract significant value
- Often targets people early in their careers who need the credential
Mental Health Support Groups Without Professional Moderation
- Creating spaces for vulnerable people to share deeply personal struggles
- Placing responsibility on other community members to provide appropriate support
Online Forums Depending on Volunteer Moderators
- Reddit, Facebook Groups, and many forums rely entirely on unpaid moderation
- These roles often become unsustainable time commitments with significant emotional toll
Real-World Consequences
Meetup.com’s RSVP Metrics
- The platform’s emphasis on RSVP counts encourages organizers to focus on headcount over experience quality
- Results in real-world events designed for attendance metrics rather than meaningful connection
Instagram’s Community Stories Feature
- Creates subtle pressure to document experiences primarily for social validation
- Transforms genuine community moments into performance opportunities
Professional Network Events Designed Around Sponsors
- Many industry communities structure events primarily around sponsor needs
- Sacrifices genuine member connection for financial sustainability
Ethical Alternatives
Instead of these dark patterns, ethical community design focuses on:
- Transparent value exchange: Being clear about what members give and get
- Genuine agency: Providing real choice in how people participate
- Sustainable engagement: Designing for healthy participation that doesn’t lead to burnout
- Honest metrics: Measuring what actually matters for community health
- Distributed power: Creating systems for shared ownership and governance
- Meaningful boundaries: Respecting members’ time, attention, and emotional capacity
Examples
Positive Example: Microsolidarity’s Explicit Care Expectations
- This community-building approach clearly defines the amount of emotional labor expected in different relationship circles
- Creates sustainable boundaries rather than unlimited expectations
Positive Example: Mighty Networks’ Engagement Design
- Platform focuses on meaningful discussions rather than vanity metrics
- Designs for depth of interaction over frequency or volume
Positive Example: Creative Morning’s Physical Event Design
- Global event series intentionally limits size to maintain genuine connection
- Prioritizes inclusion and relationship-building over growth metrics
Recognizing Dark Patterns in Existing Communities
As designers, we should critically examine:
- What behaviors does the platform reward and punish?
- Who benefits most from the current design?
- What assumptions about human behavior are embedded in the design?
- Are people being manipulated to participate in ways that don’t serve their wellbeing?
- Does the design exploit psychological vulnerabilities?
By recognizing these patterns, we can make more ethical choices in our own community design work and help transform existing communities to better serve their members’ genuine needs.