Amazon App splash screen dark pattern

So I checked the Amazon app after a few months. Just for reference, Amazon App Logo changed from this to this.

At first I was looking for the old Amazon logo by memory, after finding no results, i realized, the logo has changed.

What got me irrirated was the splash screen was now full lenght screen. With no way out for the user.

Look at the full screen below

Turns out they’ve force you to choose a Prime plan. There is no way to exit the flow. Youur only option is to close and restart the app.

Now imagine users who don’t know restart is an exit route.

Implications

• The Gen X userbase in India would be forced to add a card.
• The subscription would continue and they would get a shock.

This is what happens when unethical and immoral business requirements enforce a user experience against the user needs/wants.

How to get rid of this

Businesses with the technology and monopoly would always have control and dicatate what their users can and can not get. In my understanding regulation is the only way to tackle this. I am not sure if such dark patterns are covered in the regulations like this California ban on dark patterns. If not, it should. Such regulations are a good starting point.

Update

So i checked the amazon app again yesterday and was pleasantly surprised that they have updated the splash screen to make it more explicit and made the options to continue without forcing to signup for prime.

Apart from the actions, we can see clear description in text on what the user can expect.

#darkpatterns