India Directs E-commerce to Audit Dark Patterns

The India — Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has directed all e-commerce platforms in India to conduct self-audits within three months to identify and eliminate 'dark patterns,' which are deceptive design practices that mislead consumers. This directive, supported by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, is part of India's broader strategy to strengthen consumer protection in the rapidly expanding digital economy. The government has already issued notices to some violating platforms and established a Joint Working Group to monitor compliance and raise public awareness. India is the first country to issue dedicated guidelines to regulate dark patterns, which include practices like false urgency, hidden costs, and subscription traps. Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi recently chaired a meeting with major companies, including Alphabet Inc., Amazon (company), Meta Platforms, Apple Inc., Walmart — Flipkart, Swiggy, Paytm, and MakeMyTrip, to discuss the implementation of these new measures.