In an earlier meeting with key representatives from major industry players, Pralhad Joshi noted the importance of responsible industry behaviour
Aimed at reviewing the issue of dark patterns impacting digital consumers, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Pralhad Joshi, has chaired a meeting with senior officials, the minister said in a post on X.
“Chaired a meeting with officials from the Department of Consumer Affairs to review the issue of dark patterns impacting digital consumers. Discussed Jago Grahak Jago’s ongoing efforts and explored regulatory measures to curb deceptive online practices and strengthen consumer protection frameworks,” he wrote in his post.
In an earlier meeting with key representatives from major industry players, Joshi noted the importance of responsible industry behaviour, adding that the guidelines on dark patterns were the result of intensive consultations with various stakeholders, including leading ecommerce companies and industry associations.
Highlighting recent developments, Joshi noted a significant surge in consumer complaints related to dark patterns on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). To address this, he issued a clear directive to all major ecommerce companies: conduct regular internal audits to identify and eliminate dark patterns on their platforms.
Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, noted that these practices undermine consumer autonomy, manipulate purchasing behaviour, and have a detrimental impact on consumer trust and welfare. She emphasised that tackling dark patterns is essential for preserving consumer rights and ensuring fair digital trade.
Joshi added that the Jagriti App enables consumers to report dark patterns on ecommerce platforms directly to the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) and flags suspicious websites, while the Jago Grahak Jago app shields users from malicious platforms and offers real-time safety scores for the ecommerce link which a consumer is visiting.
