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My local library app hid the 'renew all' button behind a secret swipe
The app for the Springfield Public Library system makes you renew each book one by one, which is a pain with 12 items. I accidentally swiped left on a title and a tiny 'renew' option appeared. Turns out, swiping left on any item in the list is the only way to get the batch renew function to show up at the top. Has anyone else found a hidden gesture that solved a dumb design problem?
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terry_mitchell6mo ago
Saw a blog post calling this "dark patterns" in design.
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sam_harris686mo ago
Reminds me of how everything feels like a puzzle now. You used to just buy a thing or use a service, and that was it. Now you're always solving some little trick they built in, like unsubscribing from emails or turning off auto-renew. It's not just apps, it's all over. Makes you feel like you're being managed instead of served. That's the real dark pattern, turning basic actions into a game you have to win.
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ericjackson6mo ago
Honestly, that "secret swipe" thing feels like a lazy fix for a real design flaw. They should just put a clear button up top instead of making people hunt for it. Tbh it just makes the app feel broken.
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