Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urges all companies to now fully comply with the guidelines and integrate them into their internal governance
Highlighting that there has been a significant surge in consumer complaints related to dark patterns on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH), the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, has issued a clear directive to all major ecommerce companies to conduct regular internal audits to identify and eliminate dark patterns on their platforms.
Chairing a high-level stakeholder meeting, Joshi urged all companies to now fully comply with the guidelines and integrate them into their internal governance and consumer protection mechanisms. He noted that the consumers of today are vigilant, informed, and increasingly aware of their rights, and they will not tolerate deceit.
“Companies must not wait for the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to intervene. They should proactively recognise and remove these deceptive practices before notices are issued. This is not just regulatory compliance—it is about building trust with your consumers,” the Union Minister stated.
Dark patterns are design elements used on websites and apps to mislead or coerce users into making unintended choices. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, highlighted the alarming rise of dark patterns. She stated that these undermine consumer autonomy, manipulate purchasing behaviour, and have a detrimental impact on consumer trust and welfare.
Bharat Harbanslal Khera, Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, emphasised that the department has issued the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, which were developed through extensive stakeholder consultations and aim to clearly define and prohibit manipulative digital design practices. He also stated that 13 dark patterns are being recognised by the guidelines.
The representatives of the major ecommerce companies Amazon, Apple, Zepto, MakeMyTrip, Meta, Rapido, Shiprocket, Snapdeal, Swiggy, Zomato & Blinkit, Flipkart were present during the meeting
