Dark patterns, also known as "deceptive design patterns" and "dam-aging patterns," are strategically crafted digital elements within user interfaces that exploit psychological weaknesses to influence users’ choices, often against their best interests. Initially identified by designer Harry Brignull in 2010. Despite extensive research on dark patterns' taxonomy, effects, visibility, and prevalence, the literature overlooks the interactive nature of dark patterns "Interactive DarkPatterns" (IDPs). This study addresses this oversight by defining IDPs, which involve users through multiple steps or screens. 

The motivation behind this research is to help ordinary users of mobile applications build the knowledge required to recognize and avoid interactive dark patterns, thus mitigating their effects by and empowering informed decision-making. The study investigates the effectiveness of training interventions in improving users’ ability to recognize and avoid IDPs in mobile applications. By comparing user interaction results pre and post targeted training session aimed to increase awareness.

An experiment was conducted to collect both quantitative and qualitative data on how IDPs trap users. The findings indicate that training interventions reduce the entrapment rate of users interacting with mobile applications, from approximately 79% pre-training to 27% post-training. These results suggest that increased awareness through training enhanced users’s ability to avoid IDPs. The primary audience includes ordinary mobile application users, with implications also for mobile app developers, UX/UI designers, and digital ethicists.