Online Privacy: Transparency, Advertising, and Dark Patterns (Dagstuhl Seminar 25042)

Abstract

This report documents the program and the outcomes of Dagstuhl Seminar 25042 "Online Privacy: Transparency, Advertising, and Dark Patterns". The seminar brought 26 participants in computer science, law and policy together, coming from research institutions, as well as industry, law firms and regulators across Europe, US, and Middle East. 
The 2.5-day seminar had a well-filled program, with introductions of all participants and several group activities; two presentations from industry representing Web browser providers, such as Apple and Mozilla; two presentations from the law research community presenting open problems in Web tracking, dark patterns, ad tech and new EU regulations, such as the EU Digital Services Act; and two panels - one presenting the open challenges in compliance by EU and US lawyers and regulators, and one discussing the future of advertising by industrial representatives from Web browser vendors. The program also included a rump session for short talks, allowing all participants to expose their recent research, open questions, and challenges to these research communities, industry, and regulators.