Disguised advertisement or action
Fake close control opens another promotion
A fictional app draws an “×” in the corner of an upgrade ad, but tapping it opens the purchase page instead of dismissing the ad.
Individual HTML example · Interface interference
Sponsored result imitates an organic recommendation
A fictional marketplace gives a paid placement the same typography and ranking treatment as organic results, with “sponsored” hidden in a tooltip.
This is an original fictional comparison. It depicts no real company and is not a legal finding or safe harbour.
Sponsored result imitates an organic recommendation
A fictional marketplace gives a paid placement the same typography and ranking treatment as organic results, with “sponsored” hidden in a tooltip.
Top match for you. The paid placement looks identical to an organic result.. View top match. View sponsored offer
Sponsored placement. The commercial relationship is visible before the product claim and click.. View sponsored offer. View top match. Price, period and commitment, expanded: The price and material terms associated with “View sponsored offer” remain beside this choice.
Why the first version can mislead: The presentation changes what the user can notice or predict at the pricing decision. The problematic state shows: “The paid placement looks identical to an organic result.” Its influence should be tested by comparing the consequence and usability of “View top match” with “View sponsored offer”. A shopper may treat commercial placement as an independent relevance judgment.
What a fairer design does: Label advertising at first exposure and keep the commercial marker visible beside the result and action.
Show annotated differences (2)
Potentially problematic version
- View sponsored offerIn “Sponsored result imitates an organic recommendation”, this element shows how disguised advertisement or action can shape the decision.
Neutral alternative
- Price, period and commitment, expanded: The price and material terms associated with “View sponsored offer” remain beside this choice.In “Sponsored result imitates an organic recommendation”, this element keeps the clearer alternative visible at the same decision point.
Review questions (3)
- Do “View top match” and “View sponsored offer” receive comparable prominence and explain their consequences before activation?
- Place the compared prices, billing periods and material terms on one evidence sheet; where does it support “The element's commercial or actual function is not apparent before interaction”?
- What neutral rendering or comprehension result would falsify the classification, particularly in light of “Effectively labelled advertisement distinguishable before interaction”?
Complete pattern context
How this example relates to Disguised advertisement or action
A promotional or biased action is presented as ordinary content or as a different control, causing interaction under a mistaken understanding. 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.
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Ticket and travel pass presented as one package
A fictional ticket seller offers a concert ticket only through a control that also adds a city travel pass, although the travel component is separately deliverable and not required for entry.
Bundled options
Support and migration locked into one plan
A fictional service offers a core plan only as a bundle with premium support and data migration, while implying those extras can be removed later although no controls exist.
Sources and provenance for this example
Evidence base
Sources
- Dark commercial patternsOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development · Secondary · checked 2026-09-14 · OECD Digital Economy Papers No. 336
- Unfair Commercial Practices DirectiveEuropean Parliament and Council of the European Union · Primary · checked 2026-08-09 · Directive 2005/29/EC; CELEX 02005L0029-20220528