Oh, but don't you just love being tricked into clicking through 50 pages of nonsense? That's what I call an exciting journey of discovery 🙄

It's pure capitalism at its worst - designing systems not for user experience but for profits. Can't even browse in peace anymore. We need people to hold these companies accountable and demand more ethical designs!

Well, you know what they say - if you're not paying for a product, you are the product. Just the cost of using free sites I guess.

Legally speaking, these maneuvers are walking a fine line. Dark patterns, as they're aptly named, are a kind of deceptive practice. While not illegal per se, they do put companies at risk of losing consumer trust or even facing legal action, especially in countries with strong consumer protection laws. That said, most corporations toe the line because it's profitable and the likelihood of repercussion is low. It's a greasy game they're playing.

Lol, you thought the internet is your best friend? More like that backstabbing buddy who's always trying to sell you stuff you don't even need. 😂

First time I see this happening, I almost threw my phone. Like, I didn't ask for a new page full of garbage. Where's the respect for user's choice, huh? Such a scam.

Web developer here.

So the trick you're talking about is called a 'dark pattern'. These are design elements that basically trick users into doing things they might not necessarily want to do. One common example is the one you mentioned, where 'Skip' or 'Next' buttons lead to something unwanted.

There's a whole gamut of these tricks and their purpose varies. Some are there to keep you using an app, some to make you click on ads, and others to share personal info that you probably wouldn't want to share.

For those looking to avoid falling prey to these dark designs, you gotta be attentive and aware. Read everything before you click, consider using external adblockers, and always go through settings to make sure you have control over what's happening.

Even for someone like me who knows these tricks, they can still be annoying to come across. Stay vigilant out there folks!

Yeah, I've seen that trick too! It's like they're playing mind games with us or something, damn. Annoying as heck.