Bridge Over Troubled Water
Aligning Commercial Incentives with Ethical Design Practice to Combat Deceptive Patterns
This CHI 2026 long workshop will take place in-person in Barcelona, Spain as part of the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) International Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI).
About the Workshop
Over the past decade, awareness of unethical design practices has risen within and outside the field of human-computer interaction (HCI). Often referred to as deceptive design or dark patterns, associated practices coerce, obstruct, or manipulate user choices in various online contexts. As regulations aiming to protect users from especially malicious practices increase globally and customer-service relationships suffer, we identify a need to bring together practitioners with scholars in a transdisciplinary context to work together on sensible solutions that benefit both users and service providers. Our key aims are: (1) identifying gaps between user expectations and commercial incentives; (2) assessing contemporary design practices; and (3) rerouting user journeys to enable informed decision-making. Through roundtable discussions and collaborative activities, this workshop will foster the relationship between practitioners and scholars and help align ethical design principles with current practice, reflecting both user and service provider needs.
Important Dates
- Submission Deadline: February 12, 2026
- Notification: March 5, 2026
- Workshop Date: April 13-17, 2026 (specific day TBD)
Participation Options
Join us through two submission tracks:
- Position Papers: 5-9 pages presenting preliminary findings or thought-provoking essays
- Statements of Interest: 1-2 pages expressing motivation and expectations
All submissions through this form. More information on the call for participation.
Workshop Goals
Identifying gaps and alignment between user expectations and commercial incentives
Research on DPs has landscaped user perspectives from qualitative and quantitative perspectives, while work with practitioners has revealed ethical tensions between individuals and organisational goals. In the case of market competition, however, user goals and commercial parties may align against more powerful organisations. Building on this knowledge, we will outline implications for design that address both the users’ and the service providers’ needs.
Assess contemporary design practices
While some practices always lead to harmful or problematic interactions, others are more context-dependent and require more sensitivity to weigh potential impacts on user agency and profit; and which are generally unproblematic, unless they link temporally to harmful practices.
Rerouting user journeys to enable informed decision-making
After understanding gaps and constraints, we will build bridges following value-sensitive and ethical design principles. Through collaborative exercises we will developing responsible and fair design alternatives that benefit both user and service provider incentives.