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Intuit Dark Pattern Tax-Filing Suppression.

Models the corporate lobbying and UX dark-pattern manipulation used by Intuit (TurboTax) to actively hide the legally required "Free File" option from Google Search, coercing impoverished Americans into paying $120 to file their taxes.

## The Artificial Complexity Tax

In most developed nations, the government simply sends you a bill or a refund check: "Here is what we know you owe." In the United States, citizens are forced to guess a number, and if they guess wrong, they go to prison. This horrific inefficiency exists solely because Intuit (TurboTax) spends millions lobbying Congress to prevent the IRS from simplifying the tax code.

### FAQ

**Q: Why does TurboTax charge me $120 when they are legally required to offer a free version?**
A: Search Engine Dark Patterns. Years ago, the IRS threatened to build their own free, automated tax filing website. Intuit panicked. They struck a deal: "If you promise never to build a free government website, we will offer a 'Free File' version for all low-income Americans." Intuit then proceeded to actively hide this "Free File" system from the public. They added code (`noindex`) to the "Free File" website specifically to prevent Google from indexing it. When a low-income citizen Googled "TurboTax Free", they were directed to a "Free Edition" that forced them to eventually upgrade to a $120 "Deluxe" version to file basic forms. Because of this intentional UI manipulation, 97% of the 100 Million Americans eligible for Free File ended up paying. Intuit effectively levied a $12 Billion private tax on the American working class.