"Only 1 Left in Stock," "Timer," "Subscription as Default" - The Traps Set by "Dark Patterns" and the Self-Defense Measures We Can Take

Designs on e-commerce sites and apps that guide users towards unfavorable choices, such as displaying "Only 1 item left in stock," "Sale ends in 5 minutes," or default settings that lead to subscriptions unless unchecked, are collectively known as "dark patterns." Research has identified over 1,800 instances from 11,000 online shopping sites, highlighting the widespread existence of mechanisms that mislead users in their decisions regarding pricing, contracts, and cancellations. In Europe, the Digital Services Act (DSA) prohibits dark patterns on platforms, while the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) addresses countdowns and false scarcity claims. In the United States, the FTC's "Click to Cancel" rule is set to be nullified by the federal appeals court in July 2025, yet state laws in places like California are expanding protections. In Japan, revisions to the Act on Specified Commercial Transactions have strengthened mandatory display requirements on final confirmation screens, and the Consumer Affairs Agency plans to release a report on dark patterns in 2025. Since online shopping is generally not subject to cooling-off periods, verifying purchases, preserving evidence, and utilizing consultation services are crucial. This article explains common tactics, regulations in various countries, points of caution in Japan, and provides a "practical self-defense checklist."