# Introduction

X-Factor is a Chrome extension designed to detect and mitigate dark patterns on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).Dark patterns are deceptive design practices used in digital interfaces to manipulate users into taking unintended actions, often benefiting the platform at the user's expense. Research has shown that such manipulative designs can negatively impact users' mental well-being.This extension focuses on two key dark patterns: promoted ads and autoplaying videos. For promoted ads, X-Factor highlights them, offers an option to blur them, and provides a warning when an ad attempts to redirect users to a third-party website—ensuring users have greater control over their browsing experience. For autoplaying videos, the extension automatically pauses them, allowing users to decide whether they want to watch.

This extension focuses on two key dark patterns: promoted ads and autoplaying videos(shown in the images below).

-For promoted ads, X-Factor highlights them, offers an option to blur them, and provides a warning when an ad attempts to redirect users to a third-party website—ensuring users have greater control over their browsing experience.

-For autoplaying videos, the extension automatically pauses them, allowing users to decide whether they want to watch.

By increasing awareness of these dark patterns and giving users more control, X-Factor promotes a more transparent and user-friendly social media experience.

# Implementation

X-Factor is a Chrome extension designed to detect and mitigate dark patterns on the social platform X (formerly Twitter).Dark patterns are deceptive design practices used in digital interfaces to manipulate users into taking unintended actions, often benefiting the platform at the user's expense. Research has shown that such manipulative designs can negatively impact users' mental well-being.This extension focuses on two key dark patterns: promoted ads and autoplaying videos. For promoted ads, X-Factor highlights them, offers an option to blur them, and provides a warning when an ad attempts to redirect users to a third-party website—ensuring users have greater control over their browsing experience. For autoplaying videos, the extension automatically pauses them, allowing users to decide whether they want to watch.

This extension focuses on two key dark patterns: promoted ads and autoplaying videos(shown in the images below). For promoted ads, X-Factor highlights them, offers an option to blur them, and provides a warning when an ad attempts to redirect users to a third-party website—ensuring users have greater control over their browsing experience. For autoplaying videos, the extension automatically pauses them, allowing users to decide whether they want to watch.By increasing awareness of these dark patterns and giving users more control, X-Factor promotes a more transparent and user-friendly social media experience.