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Digital and e-commerce
Persuasion vs manipulation: where the line is
| Principle | Ethical use | Crosses the line |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive load | Fewer fields, one main action, plain language | Hiding the cancel or decline option in clutter |
| Social proof | Real reviews with dates, verified customer numbers | Fake reviews, invented counters, deleted criticism |
| Anchoring | Show the full plan first; use real former prices | Inflated 'was' prices that never applied |
| Defaults | Pre-select the option most customers need | Pre-ticked paid add-ons or marketing consent |
| Loss aversion | Real deadlines, reminders of saved items | Fake countdowns and false 'only 2 left' claims |
| Clarity | Total price, delivery and returns shown early | Fees revealed only at the last step |
| Principle | Ethical use | Crosses the line |
|---|---|---|
| Cognitive load | Fewer fields, one main action, plain language | Hiding the cancel or decline option in clutter |
| Social proof | Real reviews with dates, verified customer numbers | Fake reviews, invented counters, deleted criticism |
| Anchoring | Show the full plan first; use real former prices | Inflated 'was' prices that never applied |
| Defaults | Pre-select the option most customers need | Pre-ticked paid add-ons or marketing consent |
| Loss aversion | Real deadlines, reminders of saved items | Fake countdowns and false 'only 2 left' claims |
| Clarity | Total price, delivery and returns shown early | Fees revealed only at the last step |