Latest news with #PralhadJoshi
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Dark Pattern Guidelines: Govt warns E-Commerce platforms to comply or face action
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. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget : What are ‘dark patterns' in e-commerce? A must-know for your UPSC prep
What is the government's stand against the ' dark patterns' in e-commerce? Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: The government has taken several steps for consumer protection, from enacting the Consumer Protection Act to launching the app for easing the filing of cases. In this regard, it becomes essential to understand the growing concern around 'dark patterns' in e-commerce for your UPSC exam preparation.) To identify and eliminate dark patterns on e-commerce platforms, the government has asked e-commerce platforms to regularly conduct an audit on their platforms. 'Companies must not wait for the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to intervene. They should proactively recognize and remove these deceptive practices before notices are issued. This is not regulatory compliance: it's about building trust with your consumers,' said Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi. 1. Dark patterns, also known as deceptive patterns, is the term used to describe the ways in which websites or apps make their users do things that the users do not intend to do or would not otherwise do, as well as to discourage user behaviour that is not beneficial for the companies. 2. Understand 'dark pattern' through example: Think of that annoying advertisement that keeps popping up on your screen, and you can't find the cross mark 'X' to make it go away because the mark is too small to notice (or to click/ tap). Worse, when you try to click/ tap on the tiny 'X', you sometimes end up tapping the ad instead. 3. The term dark patterns was coined by Harry Brignull, a London-based user experience (UX) designer, in 2010. The Internet is replete with examples of dark patterns. On December 1, 2023, the CCPA issued guidelines for the 'prevention and regulation' of dark patterns. It has specified 13 dark patterns. (i) False urgency: Creates a sense of urgency or scarcity to pressure consumers into making a purchase or taking an action. It includes showing false popularity of a product or service to manipulate user decisions or stating that quantities of a particular product or service are more limited than they actually are. (ii) Basket sneaking: Dark patterns are used to add additional products or services to the shopping cart without the user's consent. (iii) Confirm shaming: Uses guilt to make consumers adhere; criticises or attacks consumers for not conforming to a particular belief or viewpoint. (iv) Forced action: Pushes consumers into taking an action they may not want to take, such as signing up for a service in order to access content. (v) Nagging: User is disrupted and annoyed by repeated and persistent interactions, in the form of requests, information, options, or interruptions, to effectuate a transaction and make some commercial gains, unless specifically permitted by the user. (vi) Subscription traps: Easy to sign up for a service but difficult to quit or cancel; option is hidden or requires multiple steps; forcing a user to provide payment details or authorization for auto debits for availing a free subscription; or making the instructions related to cancellation of subscription ambiguous, latent, confusing, cumbersome. (vii) Bait & switch: Advertising a certain product/ service but delivering another, often of lower quality; (viii) Rogue Malwares: Using a ransomware or scareware to mislead or trick user into believing there is a virus on their computer and aims to convince them to pay for a fake malware removal tool that actually installs malware on their computer. (ix) Disguised ads: Designed to look like content, such as news articles or user-generated content. (x) Interface interference: Manipulate the user interface in a way that highlights certain specific information and obscures other obscures other relevant information relative to the other information; to misdirect a user from taking an action as desired. (xi) Drip pricing: A 'dark pattern' practice whereby elements of prices are not revealed upfront or are revealed surreptitiously within the user experience, or revealing the price post-confirmation of purchase, or a product or service is advertised as free without appropriate disclosure of the fact that the continuation of use requires in-app purchase. (xii) Trick Question: Deliberate use of confusing or vague language like confusing wording, double negatives, or other similar tricks, in order to misguide or misdirect a user from taking the desired action or leading the consumer to take a specific response or action. (xiii) Saas billing: Generating and collecting payments from consumers on a recurring basis in a software as a service (SaaS) business model by exploiting positive acquisition loops in recurring subscriptions to get money from users as surreptitiously as possible. Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and UI/UX design company Parallel HQ Study 📍According to the study published by ASCI and UI/UX in August 2024, over 79 per cent of Indian apps trick users into giving away their personal data. It identified dark patterns in more than 50 Indian apps across sectors such as e-commerce, health, and fintech as well as cab-booking services and delivery platforms, with a total of 21 billion downloads. 📍It found that a majority of dark patterns were used by travel booking apps like Goibibo, MakeMyTrip and EaseMyTrip followed by delivery and logistics apps such as Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Borzo, etc. 📍E-commerce apps like Amazon, Flipkart, and Nykaa, among others, make it difficult for their users to delete their account, the study found. Additionally, four out of five health tech apps rushed users into making decisions through a tactic known as False Urgency. 1. CCPA is is being constituted under Section 10(1) of The Consumer Protection Act, 2019. The Act replaced the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, and seeks to widen its scope in addressing consumer concerns. It has come into force w.e.f 24th July 2020. It aims to protect the rights of the consumer by cracking down on unfair trade practices, and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers. 2. CCPA has the power to inquire or investigate into matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government. 3. The Act provides that the CCPA consists of a Chief Commissioner and such number of other Commissioners as may be prescribed, to be appointed by the Central Government to exercise the powers and discharge the functions under this Act. 4. The power to make rules to provide for the qualifications for appointment, term of office, salaries and allowances, resignation, removal, and other terms and conditions of the service of the Chief Commissioner and Commissioners of the Central Authority is bestowed upon the Central government. 5. The CCPA also has an Investigation Wing that is headed by a Director General. District Collectors, too, have the power to investigate complaints of violations of consumer rights, unfair trade practices, and false or misleading advertisements. Consider the following statements: 1. Dark pattern is a deceptive attempt made by e-commerce platforms to make users do things that they otherwise wouldn't. 2. 'Saas billing' is identified as a dark pattern by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). 3. In the 'Bait and Switch' dark pattern, elements of prices are not revealed upfront or are revealed post-confirmation of purchase. How many of the above statements are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
The shadowy side of e-commerce
Tap a screen, and groceries land at your door. Click a button, and a cab arrives. Swipe right, and a world of entertainment unfolds. The interface is smooth, the experience seamless. But look closer, and you'll notice something peculiar: a hand behind the curtain is constantly nudging you. Sometimes gently. Sometimes hard enough to tip you into decisions you didn't know you were making. These design choices are called 'dark patterns.' Earlier this week, union minister Pralhad Joshi, who oversees consumer affairs, told e-commerce platforms to get their house in order. Conduct internal audits. Weed out manipulative design. Or face action. This follows on the heels of last year's guidelines by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which formally listed and defined what these dark patterns are. The message now is louder, sharper, and more urgent: no more trickery in the name of technology. But defining what specifically are 'Dark Patterns' is where policy makers must begin with, points out Biju Dominic. He is one of India's most thoughtful Behavioural Architects and Chief Evangelist at Fractal Analytics. His point is that persuasion has always been part of commerce. Brands are built on seduction. Creating urgency or nudging in the right place are what marketers have always done. And if a website says only two seats are left on a flight, and there really are only two seats left, that's not deception. That's fair warning. But the claim is false if thirty seats are still available. That's fiction disguised as fact. That's manipulation. That's what needs to go. How do you ensure that? he asks. Also Read: Uber's 'Advance Tip' feature lands it in trouble as CCPA issues notice. Internet drags Ola, Rapido As things are, the CCPA has listed thirteen specific kinds of dark patterns. Some are almost comical in their audacity. There's the sneaky add-on at checkout—the free sample you didn't ask for; or the charitable donation you didn't notice. There's the emotional blackmail that makes you feel stingy for opting out of a newsletter. And then there are the frustrating subscription traps. Signing up is easy. Cancelling is a maze. Just try unsubscribing from one of those free trials. The button is always hidden, the steps always obscure. According to a 2024 report by the Advertising Standards Council of India, 52 of the top 53 most-downloaded Indian apps use at least one of these tactics. This isn't marginal. It's mainstream. Complaints have surged. Eleven platforms, including Uber, Ola, Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto and Rapido, have already received legal notices. The government isn't bluffing. It's pushing for accountability. India isn't alone. Europe's Digital Services Act, now in full effect, bars online platforms from using deceptive design. California's consumer privacy law says consent obtained through trickery isn't valid. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission fined Epic Games a massive $245 million for making it hard to cancel Fortnite subscriptions. Around the world, regulators are waking up to the same reality: clever design is not always ethical design. What's at stake isn't just the money lost in hidden fees. It's something deeper. Dark patterns chip away at trust. They eat into our time, test our patience, and quietly erode confidence in digital platforms. The toll isn't just financial. It's psychological. But before we sharpen our pitchforks, it's worth listening to Dominic again. He argues for a more nuanced take. Not all nudges are evil. Human beings, he reminds us, don't make decisions as rationally as we think. Much of what we do is subconscious. So if a prompt nudges you toward a useful service, say, buying travel insurance, is that really wrong? What if it protects you? What if it helps? Dominic draws a line not by asking what the platform did, but by examining what it was trying to achieve. If the goal is to help, perhaps the nudge is justifiable. But if the tactic steers you into online gambling, or tricks you into sharing data, then it crosses the line. Intent matters. Context matters. Data collated from multiple sources that include the 'Wall Street Journal' indicates that digital businesses are under stress. Click-through rates have collapsed from 40 percent a few years ago to 0.035 percent now. Cart abandonment sits at 70 percent. In the U.S., 17 percent of sold goods are returned. In such a brutal environment, the temptation to do whatever it takes to sell is real. Also Read: E-commerce boosting MSME growth The challenge then is to separate persuasive design from manipulative design. To accept that marketing isn't the enemy, but bad faith is. That means regulators need to be sharp, consumers need to be awake. And platforms need to remember that trust is hard-earned and easily lost. Encouragingly, India is not just playing watchdog. It's offering tools. The Jagriti App lets users report shady designs. The Jago Grahak Jago portal now gives real-time trust ratings for e-commerce platforms. And a new joint working group involving the government, companies, and consumer rights groups is looking to keep the conversation alive. This won't end dark patterns. But it signals good intent. For every Indian consumer who has ever clicked in frustration, felt cheated at checkout, or been trapped in an endless unsubscribe loop, that would be welcome news.
India Today
a day ago
- Automotive
- India Today
Why users feel Ola, Uber, Rapido's advance tipping is grossly unfair
Uber and Rapido's "advance tipping" feature, where users are prompted to tip drivers before a ride begins, has come under heavy criticism from the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and consumers. Last week, the CCPA issued a notice to Uber, raising concerns about the feature, which encourages users to "add a tip for faster pickup". The advance-tipping feature is unethical and, in a way, promotes bidding for suggests that drivers may be more likely to accept a ride if a tip is included upfront. Rapido and Ola Cabs have also adopted similar models, nudging users to pay extra to improve their chances of securing a ride Minister for Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, confirmed that the CCPA was investigating ride-hailing apps, including Ola and Rapido. Uber was already under the CCPA scanner. "Forcing or nudging users to pay a tip in advance for faster service is unethical and exploitative. Such actions fall under unfair trade practices. A tip is meant to be a token of appreciation, not a precondition for service," Joshi DID THE ADVANCE-TIPPING SYSTEM START?Interestingly, this controversial system originated with the Karnataka government-backed app Namma Yatri in adopted it in 2023, and Uber rolled it out in April 2025, after announcing the feature late last has defended the feature, saying it's optional and only appears when no driver accepts a ride within 30 Yatri, interestingly, has tweaked its language from "add a tip" to "add more (voluntary)". It is meant to show that advance-tipping is a customer preference and in the ecosystem where cabs are meant to be booked in real time, advance tipping doesn't remain voluntary. There is always a fear playing out – if I don't, others ARE DARK PATTERNS ON E-PLATFORMS?Advance tipping could also be a case of dark patterns and drip pricing — two deceptive design strategies increasingly criticised in digital services.A dark pattern is a manipulative interface design that tricks or pressures users into making choices they might not otherwise make, typically benefiting the platform at the user's expense. In this case, by subtly nudging users to believe that adding a tip will improve their chances of getting a ride quickly, the apps exploit behavioural psychology to drive higher Indian government has asked e-commerce platforms to conduct internal checks for dark patterns on their Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said, "Companies must not wait for CCPA to intervene. They should proactively recognise and remove these deceptive practices before notices are issued. This is not regulatory compliance: it's about building trust with your consumers," according to a press release by the Ministry of Consumer pricing, on the other hand, involves displaying a low initial price while gradually revealing additional costs, like tips, throughout the transaction process. What seems like a straightforward fare can suddenly inflate, with users feeling cornered into paying more just to ensure basic example of that would be base fares advertised by airlines. While booking air tickets, passengers pay for a host of charges, including seats, which makes the final fare much higher than the one displayed.A study by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) also found that 52 of the top 53 apps have deceptive UI (user interface)/UX (user experience) practices that mislead users into opting for something they originally did not intend to study revealed that these problematic apps have been downloaded 21 billion times and flagged the impact on consumer behaviour because of such deceptive patterns discovered include privacy deception, interface interference, drip pricing, and false urgency, an official statement issued by the advertising industry's self-regulatory body ARE UBER, OLA AND RAPIDO USERS SAYING?Public sentiment has been overwhelmingly negative on advance tipping that most ride-hailing services, including the market-dominating Ola Cabs, Uber and Rapido. Social media platforms are flooded with complaints:"This whole 'advance tip' scam started with Bengaluru autos and was pushed by Namma Yatri. Now it's spread like a virus—Uber and Rapido have picked it up, too. Asking for extra money before the ride in the name of 'better service' is nothing but daylight robbery," wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter)."Some action needs to be taken against Rapido and Uber. They're asking for a tip before the ride is even booked. Booking rides used to be much easier before this feature," wrote user called the practice a scam: "Uber India and rapidobikeapp have created this unfair system. Drivers won't accept rides unless you add a tip–sometimes even waiting until the tip reaches 60% or 80% of the fare (sic)."One comment pointed to the deeper issue: "If you allow unethical pricing like surge charges, the next step is bound to be advance tipping. Thanks PralhadJoshiOfc for calling out Uber India's exploitative practice. This kind of Loot Economics must stop (sic)."advertisementSome have also raised questions about whether the tip truly benefits the drivers:"This was rapidobikeapp urging me to tip just seconds after booking a ride. The wait wasn't even a minute. Do tips go entirely to the drivers, or does the company take a share apart from its aggregator fee?"Others highlighted broader issues. "Uber's upfront pricing is hurting drivers. It doesn't compensate them for pickup mileage, time, or wear and tear. The system isn't sustainable–and now this new tipping model makes it worse."The situation is ironic because users took to the ride-hailing apps to get rid of haggling but are now being forced to do the same with drivers online. That is why Ola Cabs, Uber and Rapido aren't just under the government's scanner over advance tipping, they are facing public backlash too.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Qatar Tribune
No imports needed: India wheat harvest defies speculation
Agencies A strong wheat harvest in India is rapidly replenishing stocks, meaning the country will be able to meet domestic demand without imports this year, contrary to market talk that it would need overseas supplies, and a potential drag on global prices. India banned exports of the staple in 2022 and extended the prohibition as extreme heat shriveled crops again in 2023 and 2024, draining reserves, pushing prices to record highs and fuelling speculation it would need imports for the first time since 2017. But things are improving for the world's No.2 wheat producer, with early state inventory purchases signaling that this year's crop is about 4 million tons bigger than last year's, six industry and government officials said. 'After barely scraping through without imports in recent years, the country finally seems to be out of the woods and free from the fear of having to import wheat,' said Amit Takkar, chief of New Delhi-based farm consultancy Conifer Commodities. The Food Corporation of India, the state stockpiler, has bought 29.7 million metric tons of new-season wheat from domestic farmers - the most in four years - after missing procurement targets for three consecutive years. FCI's total wheat purchases could rise to 32 million-32.5 million tons this year, food minister Pralhad Joshi said earlier this month, adding to the 11.8 million tons in stock at the start of the marketing year on April 1. That stockpile of roughly 44 million tons would significantly exceed FCI's annual requirement of 18.4 million tons to run the world's largest food welfare program, which provides free grain to nearly 800 million people. FCI's surging wheat stocks are sufficient to dispel the prospect of imports that has kept the global trading community guessing, the six industry and government officials said. With the world's second-largest wheat consumer not needing imports, global prices Wv1 for the grain are likely to come under pressure, as output remains strong in top exporting countries such as Argentina, Australia and Canada, while import demand from top consumer China has weakened. Global wheat prices have more than halved from the record highs of 2022, sliding earlier this month to their lowest level in nearly five years. Better weather, higher-yielding climate-resilient seeds, and adequate soil moisture from last year's plentiful monsoon rains helped improve this year's wheat output in India. A nearly 15% rise in wheat prices over the past year - driven by consecutive poor harvests - also encouraged farmers to switch to wheat. Farmers in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, known for premium wheat that goes into pizzas and pastas, said crop yields were higher this year thanks to a milder March. 'The weather was better this year compared to last year,' said farmer Sunil Dubey, as he steered his tractor trolley brimming with brown sacks of wheat into the dusty, bustling wholesale market of Indore.
