The research paper titled “Dark Patterns, Dark Nudges, Sludge and Misinformation: Alcohol Industry Apps and Digital Tools” by Elliot Roy-Highley, Mark Petticrew, and Del Ann Llarınaสถิติ explores the health implications of apps funded by the alcohol industry. The study, led by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), reveals that these apps often employ covert misinformation strategies, omitting important public health information, and may inadvertently encourage users to over drink alcohol in ways that are unintentional for users who are otherwise well-informed.
The study compares 15 web-based or mobile apps funded by the alcohol industry, such as the apps by Drinkaware, Drinkwise, Ceeso!, and Educ’Alcool, with 10 apps approved by national governments or healthcare services by organizations like the NHS in the UK, Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Key findings include that while many apps from the industry groups omitted health-related warnings, most, except for one, seemed to avoid nudge tactics or dilute medical information. These apps are described as “dark” or misleading, as they distort users’ health perception without their knowledge, in ways that are strategically inclined for commercial gain and aligned with users’ desires.
The research identifies “dark patterns,” which are apps infused with ideas to manipulate users’ perceptions of alcohol’s health risks and risks of overconsumption. For example, apps such as those byalgace’s Clean living.js group may omit cancer risk information, google’s Addiction.Url, and royal free london’s Royal free london website. The team developed a framework to classify these apps, comparing their performance with industry-funded apps approved by various organizations, particularly finding a 30% reduction in information about cancer risk in the industry-funded programs compared to the generally approved non-industry programs.
The findings reveal that industry-funded apps often use peer pressure and cultural targeting tactics, presenting simpler, moreFilters-based instructions rather than addressing the health risks. Similarly, apps that teach users to avoid excessive drinking, such as ones by Ceeso!, suggest a lack of scientific rigor. The research indicates that these apps, when Certification, promote aMirage ofome長い for users to Continue or increase their drinking, which the researchers refer to as “sludge” orwooded tactics, aiming to provide over/under consumption.
The study highlights that previous research has already identified these dark apps on topics such as cancer risk, leading to the prompt to regulate apps like the UK’s NICE guidelines for tobacco industry-funded digital interventions. This suggests that similar tactics by algebra industry apps need to be regulated. The researcher co-authors, Professor Mark Petticrew, noted that while the industry is currently avoiding digital interventions on health, including alcohol, the same concerns apply to the alcohol industry: apps may exploit cultural targeting, peer pressure, and strategic messaging to mislead users and encourage overconsumption.
Public health officials and health practitioners are urged to be aware of these tactics and avoid software that spreads misinformation, similar to regulations against tobacco industry apps. The team emphasizes that health organizations and agencies should banning such apps, despite the industry’s(oxychoosing). The study calls for the development of tools that are independent and credible, avoiding the use of dark apps, and suggests that screening future apps by the industry on dark patterns and misleading tactics is crucial.
In conclusion, the research underscores the ethical and persuasive risks associated with app-driven health interventions, particularly from the alcohol industry. By identifying and categorizing dark apps, the study aims to inform users, policymakers, and organizations about how to avoid such misleading tactics and promote healthier digital tools. The findings of this study highlight the importance of消费者的知情权和*hospitals and authorities on preventing alcohol misuse, certify the need for clear communication and regulatory frameworks when public health institutions decide to urge app subjects to use alternative methods to deal with issues such as alcohol consumption.
The study also emphasizes the importance of aligning app development with the goals of h(periodism and public health, and points to key limitations of These tools: their assumption of well-informed users, insufficient NAS of health concerns, and over-emphasis on politics over science to tag users. These findings have broader implications for the design of digital health tools and the potential for unintended nudge tactics. They highlight the need for a stronger disciplinary responsibility for app developers and the importance of clear and ethical guidelines when marketing health apps provided with health information. The research suggests that app developers must prioritize the health of their audiences and the well-being of their users.
