Why in the news?

  • The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) announced that 26 digital storefronts, including Flipkart, Meesho, BlinkIt, Zomato, BigBasket, and Reliance Retail, declared compliance with the 2023 guidelines against “dark patterns”.

Dark Pattern

  • Definition: Dark patterns are deceptive design techniques in UI/UX that manipulate users into unintended actions benefiting companies.
  • Types: Common patterns include bait-and-switch, forced continuity, sneak into the basket, confirm shaming, and hidden costs.
  • Impact: These practices exploit user trust, reduce autonomy, and often lead to unethical outcomes.
  • Legal Concerns: Regulatory frameworks like GDPR, CCPA, and emerging Indian IT laws penalize manipulative designs.
  • Examples: Social media platforms, e-commerce sites, and mobile apps frequently use dark patterns to retain users or extract data.
  • Measures:
    • Dark patterns  fall under the category of “unfair trade practices” as defined in the Sub-section 47 under Section 2 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
    • Central Consumer Protection Authority, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 18 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, issued “Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023” for prevention and regulation of dark patterns listing 13 specified dark patterns identified in e-Commerce sector.

Source: The Hindu

 

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