The Manipulative Mechanisms and Multifaceted Impacts of Dark Patterns in Social Platform: A Case Study of Xiaohongshu

This study explores the phenomenon and impact of Dark Patterns on social platform such as Xiaohongshu. Dark Patterns, like "Bait and Switch", and "Confirmshaming", are user interface design choices that benefit the social platform by coercing, steering, or deceiving users into making unintended and potentially harmful decisions. These manipulative practices exert negative impacts on users, publishers, and society at large, such as information cocoon and privacy leak. In order to mitigate these influences and protest users’ rights, this study advocates for legislation and the establishment of digital models to regulate Dark Patterns.