Firefox To Remove UI Dark Pattern From Screenshot Tool After Months of Complaints (zdnet.com)

After months of user complaints, Mozilla will remove a misleading "dark pattern" from its page screenshot utility. From a report: The problematic feature is the "Save" button that appears when Firefox users take a screenshot. The issue is that the Save button doesn't save the screenshot to the PC, as most users would naturally expect, but uploads the image to a Mozilla server. This is both a privacy violation, as some users don't appreciate being tricked into uploading sensitive images saved on remote servers, but also an incovenience as users would still have to download the image locally, but in multiple steps afterward.

Comments

Re:"dark pattern"

[Anonymous Coward]

It's a stupid choice, and is confusing. I agree with Dan East, ANYTHING else would have been better. Some options:

Evil Pattern
Manipulative Pattern
Sucky Pattern
Theiving Pattern
Crappy Pattern
Shitty Pattern
Lying Pattern

Why even include "pattern"??? Why not

Evil UI
Lying GUI
Corrupt Design
Immoral Interfaces

Seriously, DARK PATTERNS seems almost interesting or a curiousity of emo designers. Not the evil treacherous vile scum shit fuck that it is. Seriously, don't defend this really really shitty choice.

My paranoia says this label was chosen for the _express_ purpose of diminishing the danger and horrendous effects it has on people.

Dark patterns can suck it. We need a new phrase.

Re:Well that's just downright suspicious

[DontBeAMoran]

Here's the thing, though. Since they already have the "take screenshot and upload it on a dedicated server" code in place, all they need is to ask the user when taking a screenshot:

"Do you want to save this screenshot locally on your device (default choice) or upload it to the Mozilla servers?"

Re:Well that's just downright suspicious

[jellomizer]

It seems like a lot of companies are pulling this crap, And I don't know why either. I have worked as a developer for such companies, and they don't know why they are doing it either.
It is like all the PC users who use this software that is installed on their system, is for the most part massively overpowered, and can handle these requests perfectly fine by themselves. Adding a server component adds complexity to the host software, and adds headache at the server side too as now we have to make sure all this data is extra secure. Because it is traveling over the internet and not just bouncing around the PC memory.