Individual HTML example · Obstruction

Cancellation confirmation changes no account state

A fictional service shows “Cancellation complete” but returns the user to an active-plan dashboard and continues renewal without a receipt or status event.

Dead endSubscription accountCancellation

This is an original fictional comparison. It depicts no real company and is not a legal finding or safe harbour.

Subscription accountCancellation

Cancellation confirmation changes no account state

A fictional service shows “Cancellation complete” but returns the user to an active-plan dashboard and continues renewal without a receipt or status event.

Potentially problematicCancellation complete
Neutral alternativePlan ends on 30 September

Why the first version can mislead: The route adds avoidable effort between the user’s stated intention and completion. In this subscription account example, the obstacle is: “The plan remains active and no confirmation record exists.” Evidence should show whether the alternative remains usable and whether “Download confirmation” reaches the represented state. The represented outcome is not reached, leaving the subscriber exposed to another charge.

What a fairer design does: Update the account state atomically, display the effective date and issue a durable receipt that support can verify.

Show annotated differences (2)
Potentially problematic version
  • Obscured outcome: Download confirmation: currentIn “Cancellation confirmation changes no account state”, this element shows how dead end can shape the decision.
Neutral alternative
  • Request recorded: Download confirmationIn “Cancellation confirmation changes no account state”, this element keeps the clearer alternative visible at the same decision point.
Review questions (3)
  • How many steps, waits and channel changes separate “Back to account” from the completed subscription account outcome?
  • Count steps, waits, offers and channel changes through final confirmation; where does the route meet “Repeated execution cannot reach that outcome under controlled conditions”?
  • Measure the same task through the clearest available route: does the effort difference persist once “validation error caused by invalid fixture input” is accounted for?
Side-by-side subscription account interface showing “Cancellation complete” and the clearer alternative “Plan ends on 30 September”.Provenance: Original hypothetical subscription account example created for this library; no real business, product or interface is depicted.

Complete pattern context

How this example relates to Dead end

A consumer-favourable route cannot reach its represented outcome and instead loops, stalls or loses progress. The label describes a recurring design mechanism; whether a particular implementation is harmful or unlawful depends on the complete journey, audience, evidence and rules within scope.

The full guide explains inclusion and exclusion criteria, harms, fair design principles, evidence questions and the relevant EU legal information layers. The example page isolates one scenario so it can be shared and discussed without reproducing the complete library on one page.

Open the complete pattern guideMore obstruction examples

Continue comparing

Dead end

Refund form loops after submission

Order supportAccount Management

A fictional refund form accepts every field, then returns to the first screen with “Something went wrong” and no saved state or alternative route.

Open this example

Account deletion obstruction

Deactivation presented as deletion

Social account settingsAccount Management

A fictional platform labels a control “Delete account”, but the confirmation only hides the profile and leaves data and reactivation available indefinitely.

Open this example

Account deletion obstruction

Deletion buried behind an unsupported ticket

Shopping accountAccount Management

A fictional retailer places account deletion behind six help pages and requires a support ticket containing an order number even for users who never ordered.

Open this example
Sources and provenance for this example

Evidence base

Sources

  1. An Ontology of Dark Patterns KnowledgeGray et al.; ACM CHI 2024 · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · DOI 10.1145/3613904.3642436; arXiv:2309.09640
  2. Unfair Commercial Practices DirectiveEuropean Parliament and Council of the European Union · Primary · checked 2026-08-09 · Directive 2005/29/EC; CELEX 02005L0029-20220528