In a sharp message to e-commerce platforms, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Wednesday urged companies to eliminate the use of “dark patterns” — deceptive user interface designs aimed at misleading consumers — warning that failure to comply could invite regulatory action.
Chairing a high-level stakeholder meeting in New Delhi, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi said today’s consumers are informed and will not tolerate manipulative online practices. He directed e-commerce companies to conduct self-audits and remove such patterns proactively, instead of waiting for intervention from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA).
The meeting saw participation from major industry players including Amazon, Flipkart, Google, Zomato, and Meta, as well as law universities, consumer organisations, and industry bodies like FICCI and NASSCOM.
Officials highlighted a surge in complaints related to dark patterns on the National Consumer Helpline, prompting the development of tools like the Jagriti App, Jago Grahak Jago App, and the Jagriti Dashboard to help consumers report deceptive designs and access platform safety scores.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, said that dark patterns undermine consumer rights and breach the safety pledges many firms had taken on National Consumer Day 2024. Additional Secretary Bharat Harbanslal Khera pointed out that India is among the first countries to issue dedicated guidelines defining and prohibiting 13 types of dark patterns under the Consumer Protection Act.