Policy · 1h ago
Hopper to pay $35M FTC settlement over hidden fee dark patterns
Travel app Hopper will pay $35 million to settle FTC allegations that it used deceptive design to hide fees and mislead users about costs and benefits. The agency accused Hopper of employing dark patterns that made it difficult for travelers to avoid unnecessary charges. The settlement underscores regulatory scrutiny of manipulative UX practices in consumer apps.
Meridian48 take
The settlement signals that regulators are increasingly willing to penalize dark patterns, but $35M is a fraction of Hopper's revenue, raising questions about whether fines are enough to deter such practices.
Read the full reporting
Travel app Hopper to pay $35M in FTC settlement over ‘unfairly’ charging hidden fees →
TechCrunch
ftc-settlementdark-patterns