FTC: Put “Cancel” Buttons on the First Screen or in My Page as Dark-Pattern Guidelines Are Consolidated
IT DAILY ·
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The Fair Trade Commission distributed the “Online Interface Operation Guidelines for Preventing Dark Patterns” on the 6th to reduce dark patterns that induce consumer confusion and carelessness on online screens.
The guidelines consolidate existing obligations under the e-commerce law and recommendations for businesses, covering the concept, patterns of consumer harm, key compliance requirements, detailed cautions, and specific examples across 13 categories.
The FTC said the guidelines will be used as a reference for businesses in designing and operating online screens, citing the placement of buttons for canceling registration and withdrawing membership as an example.
The Fair Trade Commission said it drew up and distributed on the 6th the “Online Interface Operation Guidelines for Preventing Dark Patterns” to reduce dark patterns that induce irrational consumption and choices by causing consumer confusion and carelessness on online screens.
The guidelines consolidate existing obligations under the e-commerce law and recommendations for businesses and were presented in 13 categories. Each category includes the concept, patterns of consumer harm, key compliance requirements, detailed cautions, and specific examples.
The FTC said the guidelines are intended to serve as a reference for businesses in designing and operating online screens, citing as a specific recommendation the placement of buttons for canceling registration and withdrawing membership on online shopping malls.
The FTC recommended placing the cancel-registration and membership-withdrawal buttons on the first login screen or in areas such as “My Page” that are accessible with one click from the first screen. The aim is to guide consumers to screens they can easily find, rather than menus whose location is hard to predict, such as “Edit Personal Information” or “Security Settings.”
The FTC consolidated the “Online Dark Pattern Self-Regulation Guidelines” enacted in July 2023 and the “Q&A on Regulating 6 Types of Online Dark Patterns” distributed in February 2025. It updated the content of the consolidated document and reflected the statutory interpretation and recommendations of the amended “Consumer Protection Guidelines for Electronic Commerce, Etc.” in September 2025.
In the process, the FTC supplemented examples of law violations based on monitoring and enforcement results. It also prepared separate questions and answers on major inquiries from businesses and points of contention in legal application, and included guidance on judgment criteria in those Q&As.
The e-commerce law’s prohibited acts were also laid out. The FTC said it prohibits inducing consumers through false or exaggerated claims or deceptive methods, interfering with withdrawal of an offer, and obstructing contract termination under the e-commerce law. As the five prohibited types in the operation of online interfaces, it cited sequential disclosure pricing, preselection of specific options, false hierarchy, interference with cancellation or withdrawal, and repeated interference.
It specified that consumer consent is required when raising the price of a subscription product and that the relevant information must be disclosed. It also said consumer consent is required when converting a free service into a paid one, and the relevant information must be disclosed.
While preparing the guidelines, the FTC collected opinions from business groups from Aug. 24 to Sept. 3, then held a roundtable with businesses on Sept. 7 and explained the main points and cautions.
The FTC said it expects the guidelines to help improve businesses’ understanding of dark-pattern regulations and support the smooth implementation of related obligations. It added that it plans to continue monitoring changes in the online transaction environment and new types of consumer harm, and to respond strictly to violations of the law along with necessary institutional improvements.
Source: IT DAILY · Kim Byung-joo
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=242023
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Source: IT DAILY
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