How certain digital products exhibit the principle of "reactance"
📝 Forced user registrations
Certain digital products impose forced registrations on users to create accounts by providing personal information, creating additional barriers to accessing the product. This can be frustrating for users who simply want to explore or try out the product without committing to a lengthy registration
process.
I had this experience the other day when I tried to buy a day pass for a gym in a different city. I just needed it for that one day because I don't live there, right? Before I could even make the purchase, the website asked me to create an account and fill in all sorts of details like my email, phone
number, address, and even the reason for my purchase. It felt like a lot of hassle, and needless to say, I didn't bother buying the pass.
🔔 Intrusive pop-ups and ads
Excessive and intrusive pop-ups, especially those
that interrupt the user experience or demand immediate attention, can evoke reactance. Users may feel their freedom to browse content without disruptions is compromised.
Schitt's Creek is one of my favorite sitcoms to watch. Earlier, I would binge watch the show on Netflix as it was so seamless. Then they decided
to move it to Hulu that slaps 2 to 3 ads "every episode" although I have a subscription with them. I definitely don't watch the show as frequently as I used to before. 🤷♀️
💀 Dark patterns in design
Dark patterns involve
designing user interfaces that manipulate users into taking actions they might not otherwise choose. One common example is the "forced continuity" pattern, where users are tricked into signing up for a free trial or subscription that automatically renews without their explicit consent. While they may drive short-term gains for businesses, they undermine trust and can lead to negative user experiences.
Certain apps display only the base price on their search page and reveal other service charges and taxes later during the checkout process. On the search results page, I get tricked into thinking that I'll be paying, say $250, only to realize later that I'm being charged, say $310. An explicit intimation such as "$250 + additional charges" would help users better understand the payment
structure.
😶 Lack of autonomy
Humans appreciate having control over their experience, so an absence of autonomy or customization options limits their ability to personalize the product according to their needs and preferences, ultimately hindering their overall satisfaction.
When Threads got released, Instagram provided users with a seamless onboarding experience by automatically importing all the data from IG to Threads. However, once the account is created, it disallows deletion of the Threads account alone. The only way users can delete their Threads account is by deleting their entire
Instagram account. I had installed Threads just to see the hype and compare it with "X" (I almost typed Twitter 🙂). But now I don't even use it and I'm just a member of Threads for no reason.
