Centre to address e-commerce dark pattern concerns with all stakeholders

All major e-commerce platforms, working in food, travel, cosmetics, pharmacy, retail, clothing and electronics sectors will participate in the meeting, according to a statement by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs

New Delhi: In protecting consumer rights and ensuring a transparent and trustworthy marketplace, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs Pralhad Joshi is slated to address consumer concerns regarding dark patterns in a high-level stakeholder meeting on Wednesday.

The meeting in the national capital also aims to explore more effective solutions to tackle the issue. All major e-commerce platforms, working in food, travel, cosmetics, pharmacy, retail, clothing and electronics sectors will participate in the meeting, according to a statement by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

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Some of the key stakeholders are Amazon, Flipkart, 1mg.com, Apple, BigBasket, Meesho, Meta, MakeMyTrip, Paytm, Ola, Reliance Retail Limited, Swiggy, Zomato, Yatra, Uber, Tata, EaseMyTrip, Clear Trip, IndiaMart, IndiGo Airlines, xigo, JUSTDIAL, Medika Bazaar, Netmeds, ONDC, Thomas Cook, and WhatsApp.

Key industry organisations, as well as Voluntary Consumer Organizations (VCOs) and leading National Law Universities (NLUs) will also be active participants in this meeting.

“Their insights, research, and regulatory perspectives will provide valuable input into shaping robust and enforceable solutions,” said the ministry. Dark patterns are deceptive user interface designs that mislead or manipulate consumers into making unintended choices. These practices erode consumer trust, distort fair market dynamics, and pose a serious threat to the integrity of digital commerce.

The Department of Consumer Affairs has taken several significant steps to combat dark patterns.

After extensive stakeholder consultation, the department issued comprehensive guidelines on the prevention of dark patterns on November 30, 2023 recognising 13 prominent dark patterns in e-commerce including False Urgency, Basket Sneaking, Confirm Shaming, Forced action, Subscription trap, Interface interference, Bait and Switch, Drip Pricing, Disguised advertisement, Nagging, Trick question, Saas Billing, and Rogue Malwares.

Among the Department’s pioneering initiatives is the ‘Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023’, launched on October 26, 2023, in collaboration with IIT (BHU).

This nationwide innovation challenge invited students and individuals from IITs, NITs, and other universities to design technological solutions — apps, browser extensions, and AI tools — to detect and fight dark patterns.

Building upon the outcomes of the hackathon, the Department has since developed, in collaboration with IIT (BHU) three powerful consumer protection apps which were launched on National Consumers Day 2024.