Episode

How Websites Trick You Using ‘Dark Patterns’ with Marshini Chetty

Podcast: Big Brains
Published: Jun 11, 2026
Duration seconds: 2228
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Summary

Why does it seem so difficult to cancel an online subscription, delete an account, or opt out of data tracking? You might think it’s just bad luck or a confusing online interface, but more often than not, it’s by design. In this episode of Big Brains, we speak with Marshini Chetty, Professor in the University of Chicago’s Department of Computer Science. As a leading expert in human-computer interaction, Chetty reveals the science behind "dark patterns” online—the subtle, manipulative design choices woven into the apps and websites we use every day. We explore how these deceptive interfaces weaponize human psychology to keep us clicking, spending and sharing our data.