Designing in the Dark: Accessibility, Energy Use, and Digital Restraint in Contemporary Web Interfaces
As digital interfaces scale globally, design choices once considered aesthetic now carry measurable consequences for accessibility, energy consumption, and human wellbeing. This essay examines dark-themed web interfaces through empirical research in display technology, visual ergonomics, and human-computer interaction, arguing that low-luminance design, when implemented responsibly, can serve as an act of digital restraint rather than stylistic preference.