<i>Why is this called &quot;dark patterns&quot;?</i><p>It is - for reasons that are a conversation unto themselves - uncouth to suggest a business is acting in bad faith without airtight evidence of malice.  So the language gets softened.<p>It&#x27;s doubly crazy when talking about the press.  OP is picking a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel.  For all the rah rah &quot;speaking truth to power&quot; of the press, if you question the press you have to go hat-in-hand.