What makes XR dark? Examining emerging dark patterns in augmented and virtual reality through expert co-design

Dark Patterns are deceptive designs that influence a user's interactions with an interface to benefit someone other than the user. Prior work has identified dark patterns in WIMP interfaces and ubicomp environments, but how dark patterns can manifest in Augmented and Virtual Reality (collectively XR) requires more attention. We therefore conducted ten co-design workshops with 20 experts in XR and deceptive design. Our participants co-designed 42 scenarios containing dark patterns, based on application archetypes presented in recent HCI/XR literature. In the co-designed scenarios, we identified ten novel dark patterns in addition to 39 existing ones, as well as ten examples in which specific characteristics associated with XR potentially amplified the effect dark patterns could have on users. Based on our findings and prior work, we present a classification of XR-specific properties that facilitate dark patterns: perception, spatiality, physical/virtual barriers, and XR device sensing. We also present the experts’ assessments of the likelihood and severity of the co-designed scenarios and highlight key aspects they considered for this evaluation, for example, technological feasibility, ease of upscaling and distributing malicious implementations, and the application's context of use. Finally, we discuss means to mitigate XR dark patterns and support regulatory bodies to reduce potential harms

Implications of XR on Privacy, Security and Behaviour: Insights from Experts

No abstract available

Augmenting a Nature Documentary with a Lifelike Hologram in Virtual Reality

While augmented reality television (ARTV) is being investigated in research labs, the high cost of AR headsets makes it difficult for audiences to benefit from the research. However, the relative affordability of virtual reality (VR) headsets provides ARTV researchers with opportunities to test their prototypes in VR. Additionally, as VR becomes an acceptable medium for watching conventional TV, augmenting such viewing experiences in VR creates new opportunities. We prototype a nature documentary ARTV experience in VR and conduct a remote user study (n = 10) to investigate six points on the visual display design dimension of presenting a lifelike programme-related hologram. We manipulated the starting point and the movement behaviour of the hologram to gain insight into viewer preferences. Our findings highlight the importance of personal preferences and that of the perceived role of a hologram in relation to the underlying TV content; suggesting there may not be a single way to augment a TV programme. Instead, creators may need to provide the audiences with capabilities to customise ARTV content

Evaluating and Updating a Design Space for Augmented Reality Television

As Augmented Reality Television (ARTV) transitions out of the feasibility phase, it is crucial to understand the impact of design decisions on the viewers’ ARTV experiences. In a previous study, six ARTV design dimensions were identified by relying on insights from existing prototypes. However, the set of possible dimensions is likely to be broader. Building on top of previous work, we create an ARTV design space and present it in a textual cheat sheet. We subsequently evaluate the cheat sheet in a between-subject study (n = 10), with participants with wide-ranging expertise. We identified six new dimensions (genre, broadcast mode, audience demographics, cartoonish vs. photoreal representation, modality, and privacy), and a new aspect (360°) for the display dimension. In light of our observations, we provide an updated ARTV design space and observe that asking participants to write ARTV scenarios can be an effective method for harvesting novel design dimensions