Popular kids' apps use deceptive tactics to draw users to paid content, study shows

A QUT study of 20 popular paid and free apps for children aged 5 to 8 years found that most contained deceptive design patterns aimed at attracting children to paid content, increasing their time spent using the app, or encouraging them to watch advertisements for other products. Corresponding author Professor Daniel Johnson from QUT's School of Computer Science and the Australian Research Council Center of Excellence for the Digital Child, said the study found at least one deceptive pattern in 15 of the 20 apps.