  'Automating the user away' has been designated as a dark pattern in
literature for performing tasks without user consent or confirmation. However,
limited studies have been reported on how users experience the sense of
autonomy when digital systems fully or partially bypass consent. More research
is required to understand what makes automaticity a threat to autonomy. To
address this gap, a qualitative interview study with 10 users was conducted to
investigate the user experience of Microsoft Windows updates. It was found that
ten design features of Windows updates impact the autonomy experience. For each
design feature, the contextual factors which influence its impact on autonomy
were also noted. The findings of this paper can help designers understand the
ethical concerns posed by automaticity in design and identify measures to
mitigate these concerns.
