Dark Pattern Guidelines: Govt warns E-Commerce platforms to comply or face action

Time of India

a day ago

Rohit Mehta is an Indian blogger, author and entrepreneur. He owns a blog named Digital Gabbar which is Available in English & Hindi. Rohit has been in the digital marketing and IT sector for over 10 years. He can be reached at Facebook, Instagram or Twitter (@bloggermehta). LESS ... MORE
India's digital economy is booming, but so are deceptive online practices. To combat manipulative design tactics, the Indian government has issued a strong warning to e-commerce and digital service platforms: follow dark pattern guidelines or face legal action. This marks a major move by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs to ensure fair trade practices and protect Indian consumers from digital deception.
What are dark patterns?
Dark patterns are deceptive user interface designs intended to mislead or manipulate users into actions they might not take otherwise. These include tactics like:
False urgency : Creating fake time pressure (e.g., 'only 1 left!').
Basket sneaking : Adding items or services to a shopping cart without explicit consent.
Bait and switch : Promoting one offer and then replacing it with another.
Drip pricing : Revealing additional charges only at the final step of checkout.
Subscription traps
: Making it hard to cancel or opt-out of subscriptions.
Such practices have now been officially categorised as unfair trade practices under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Government mandate: Audit and submit reports
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi announced that all digital platforms must audit their apps and websites for these manipulative elements. The audit reports must be submitted to the Department of Consumer Affairs.
To enforce compliance, the government will form a joint working group that will monitor digital platforms and take necessary actions if violations are found.
'If they do not follow the guidelines, action will be taken as per the law,' — Pralhad Joshi
Dark pattern guidelines by CCPA
In November 2023, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued a comprehensive framework to curb dark patterns. These guidelines aim to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in digital transactions.
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare shared that:
The CCPA has issued 11 notices for dark pattern violations.
Over 400 notices have been issued for broader unfair trade practices.
Quick-commerce
and ride-hailing platforms
are now under closer scrutiny.
Sectors under the scanner
Dark patterns are not limited to e-commerce alone. Several sectors have come under the government's radar:
Ride-hailing apps Education & streaming platforms
Govt launches Jagriti App for consumers
To empower consumers, the Ministry has launched the Jagriti App and Dashboard, enabling users to:
Report dark pattern practices
Understand their digital rights
Stay updated on government actions
The bigger picture: Accountability in the digital age
With over 50+ digital platforms already being addressed, India's latest move signals a robust push for ethical design, transparent pricing, and consumer-first policies in online services. The warning is clear—manipulative designs have no place in India's digital future.
Final thoughts
The introduction and enforcement of dark pattern guidelines is a major step toward creating a safe and trustworthy digital environment in India. E-commerce, streaming, ride-hailing, and education platforms must now prioritise ethical user experience design or be prepared to face legal consequences.
As the government strengthens consumer protection measures, platforms must shift their focus from manipulation to genuine value creation.
If you're a consumer and notice suspicious app behavior, report it through the Jagriti App today. Awareness is your first shield against digital deception.
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Views expressed above are the author's own.