Fradkin Foundation For Economic Research

THE FRADKIN FOUNDATION WAS INCORPORATED AND SET UP THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO RECEIVE AND ADMINISTER FUNDS. IT RECEIVED A FIRST TRANCHE OF FUNDING FROM THE INTERNET SOCIETY FOUNDATION IN PURSUIT OF A GRANT TO STUDY THE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF DARK PATTERNS ON THE INTERNET. DARK PATTERNS ARE DIGITAL INTERFACES THAT MANIPULATE OR COERCE USERS INTO ACTIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT TAKE OTHERWISE.THE FOUNDATION WILL SEEK TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:- HOW EFFECTIVE ARE COMPANIES USER INTERFACE DESIGNS IN MANIPULATING CONSUMERS DATA SHARING DECISIONS?- HOW DO DARK PATTERNS CHANGE THE ECONOMIC OUTCOMES THAT CONSUMERS FACE VIA CHANGING THEIR DATA SHARING DECISIONS? IN PARTICULAR, HOW DO CHANGES IN DATA SHARING AFFECT THE ADS THAT CONSUMERS SEE, THE TYPES OF WEBSITES THEY BROWSE, AND THEIR CONSUMPTION PATTERNS?DOES THE REMOVAL OF DARK PATTERNS AFFECT DIFFERENT COMPANIES DIFFERENTLY? IF SO, WHAT CAN WE SAY ABOUT THE INDIRECT EFFECTS OF DARK PATTERNS ON CONSUMERS VIA CHANGES IN COMPETITION?IN ORDER TO PURSUE THIS RESEARCH, THE FOUNDATION NEEDED A NEW PIECE OF SOFTWARE FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH STUDIES ON LINE. THE FOUNDATION NEGOTIATED A JOINT CONTRACT BETWEEN ITSELF, HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL, AND AUDACIOUS SOFTWARE TO DEVELOP SOFTWARE FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES. THIS SOFTWARE IS SLATED TO BE DEVELOPED IN 2023 AND RESEARCH STUDIES WILL BEGIN ONCE THE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT IS FINISHED.