#user-trust

#user-trust

While I'm not proud to say it, I do occasionally scroll TikTok to kill a few brain cells and a few minutes in my day. My partner also sends me TikToks which she says is her love language, which I in turn use to justify the habit. But these days I'm seeing a trend, there is a stark increase in comments trying to figure out whether a video is AI.

"Fail fast" has become a defining principle of modern product development. It encouraged teams to move rapidly, validate assumptions, and avoid spending time on ideas that don't work. However, as experimentation has increased, so have the consequences. In organizations where products are linked to sensitive data, social influence, or financial decision-making, reckless speed can result in user loss, broken trust, or reputational damage.

They Informed Users First Before changing anything, Instagram showed an announcement right inside the feed. "Swipe between Reels and messages." The banner explained the upcoming navigation update with a short sentence, a clean visual, and a "Learn more" button. It didn't interrupt your session. It didn't feel forced. It invited curiosity. That alone is a big shift in mindset, from forcing change to introducing change.

They Informed Users First Before changing anything, Instagram showed an announcement right inside the feed. "Swipe between Reels and messages." The banner explained the upcoming navigation update with a short sentence, a clean visual, and a "Learn more" button. It didn't interrupt your session. It didn't feel forced. It invited curiosity. That alone is a big shift in mindset, from forcing change to introducing change.

"Maintaining user trust matters a ton, especially in the age of AI. Whether you're in a highly regulated industry like FinTech or working B2B/SaaS, choices that erode user trust aren't just a UX problem: it's a business issue that costs companies millions."

The rapid rise of the ClickFix technique in 2025 highlights that social engineering remains one of the most cost-effective and enduring methods cyber criminals use to breach defenses.

WeTransfer users discovered this week that the service had updated its policy with a clause granting it a perpetual, royalty‑free license to use user‑uploaded content, including for 'improving machine learning models that enhance content moderation.' The changes were due to come into effect on August 8.

When companies rush to monetize browser extensions, they often assume their brand or the term 'AI' will attract users, neglecting the actual user experience.