Mark Warner Profile picture
Dec 8, 2021 10 tweets 5 min read Read on X
Chances are you’ve seen a #darkpattern online – a deceptive internet mechanism used to trap you into clicking, buying, or signing up for something you don’t want. I’m reintroducing a bill to prevent these with @SenatorFischer, @amyklobuchar, and @SenatorJohnThune.
So what exactly is a #darkpattern? They range from merely annoying to actively insidious. I’ll take you through it. First, ever had a confusing list of checkboxes that tried to con you into signing up for an email list? That’s one.
Or ever been ready to check out and then all of a sudden there’s a range of bogus hidden fees added? Again, a #darkpattern
This #darkpattern really bugs me – can you spot the legitimate download link among all these deceptive ads? I can’t.
Or one of the most common – have you ever been overwhelmed by popups tricking you into signing up for never ending newsletters? That’s a #darkpattern, too.
A lot of these #darkpatterns are merely annoying – but some contain darker implications, like these checkboxes that obscure important privacy permissions. I think you shouldn’t have to struggle to see what data you’re giving away.
These deceptions go beyond individual interfaces – manipulation is built into user agreements, too. For years, Facebook has been studying how you are emotionally affected by your feed. It's wrong that they can be doing psychological tests on you without your explicit consent.
The DETOUR Act would change that by requiring companies like Facebook to get your permission before including you in any psychological test – and prevent them from burying that permission in their general service agreement.
Finally, we know that platforms are not being held accountable for designing to target kids. DETOUR would take the first step towards changing that, making it illegal to use addictive techniques on children under 13.
Ultimately, the goals of the DETOUR Act are simple: instill more transparency in a deceptive online environment, protect kids from addiction, and start holding big tech accountable. I’m looking forward to getting this law done.

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Mark Warner

Mark Warner Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @MarkWarner

Oct 31, 2023
Let me be clear: what House Republicans are proposing in terms of separating Ukraine and Israel aid – and “offsetting” the latter with cuts to the IRS – is absurd and dangerous. Here’s why:
First of all, cutting money to the IRS is not an “offset” at all – it raises the deficit. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that our original IRS funding would cut the deficit by MORE THAN $100 BILLION! Cutting that funding means the deficit will rise.
Plainly, cutting funding to the IRS keep their tech in the Dark Ages. It means it’s harder for you to get your refund on time. It means it’s easier for tax cheats to get away with fraud.
brookings.edu/articles/cutti…
Read 7 tweets
Mar 31, 2023
Folks, I’ve heard a lot of pretty wild misconceptions about the RESTRICT Act. Let’s dispel some myths:
MYTH: This bill allows unlimited surveillance by the U.S. government!
Fact: Totally untrue. This bill doesn’t give the government any power to track what you’re searching! In fact, it is aimed at COUNTERING foreign surveillance from authoritarian nations.
The bill is restricted to tech from just a handful of nations – China, Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea, and Iran – that are controlled by authoritarian regimes.
Read 22 tweets
Nov 30, 2022
Hey folks, I just want to follow up on some things we learned about election subversion in the wake of the midterms. A thread:
First of all, a lot of the news is good. Elections were largely peaceful, open, and fair. Many high-profile election deniers lost their races. Most certification processes across the nation appear, for the most part, to be going smoothly.
There are some worrying signs, however. A handful of counties resisted certification of the final vote. And angry crowds protested vote certification processes across the country. The certification of the statewide vote in Michigan, for example, was briefly disrupted.
Read 9 tweets
Jul 14, 2022
For the last year, I’ve been working to get our competition bill done, but if partisan actors are intent on slowing it down, I’m ready to separate anything we have bipartisan agreement on – particularly the money and tax incentives for semiconductors and 5G – and get that passed.
This money can’t wait – solving the semiconductor shortage is critical to cutting costs and easing the supply chain. If we wait, we risk losing investments from companies like Intel that are ready to create jobs and boost domestic manufacturing.
And funding ORAN will give us next generation tech that will allow us to expand connectivity and 5G. It could be a game changer for folks across the country, especially in rural areas.
Read 5 tweets
Jun 24, 2022
This decision jeopardizes the health and autonomy of millions of American women and turns back the clock on nearly 50 years of settled and reaffirmed law – reflecting a Court that has increasingly issued politicized rulings that undermine the fundamental rights of Americans.(1/4)
This decision will take control over personal health care decisions away from individuals and give it to politicians in state legislatures across the country. (2/4)
I am heartbroken for the generations of women who now have fewer rights than when they were born, many of whom will be forced into life-threatening or prohibitively expensive circumstances to access health care as a result of this radical decision. (3/4)
Read 4 tweets
May 31, 2022
For too long our men and women in uniform have struggled to receive the care they deserve after being exposed to burn pits and other toxins. The bipartisan agreement on the Honoring Our PACT Act is a significant step. It’s critical that the Senate quickly acts on this bill.
This legislation will expand health care eligibility for generations of veterans and broaden certain disease and cancer presumptions for veterans who were exposed to these toxins during their service.
It’s one thing to promise this care – it’s another to actually provide it. This bill puts forth funding and resources to help the VA make critical claims processing investments that must happen if the VA is going to be able to meet this new demand.
Read 4 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Don't want to be a Premium member but still want to support us?

Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal

Or Donate anonymously using crypto!

Ethereum

0xfe58350B80634f60Fa6Dc149a72b4DFbc17D341E copy

Bitcoin

3ATGMxNzCUFzxpMCHL5sWSt4DVtS8UqXpi copy

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us!

:(