Govt Mulling App To Curb Deceptive Practices By Online Platforms

The Centre is reportedly planning to soon roll out a mobile application which will alert consumers when online platforms try to trick them using deceptive techniques called dark patterns.

The launch of this app is a part of the government’s agenda for the first 100 days, following the formation of the next government, ET reported.

Users will simply need to download the application, which will detect the use of dark patterns by all major ecommerce companies and send an alert to the consumer. The consumer can then file a complaint with consumer forums.

“Dark patterns shall mean any practices or deceptive design pattern using user interface or user experience interactions on any platform that is designed to mislead or trick users to do something they originally did not intend or want to do, by subverting or impairing the consumer autonomy, decision making or choice, amounting to a misleading advertisement or unfair trade practice or violation of consumer rights,” the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) said in an order earlier.

Last year, the government notified a host of guidelines addressing the regulation of dark patterns to curb the deceptive behaviour of ecommerce companies. The guidelines are applicable to all those platforms offering goods or services in India, including advertisers and sellers.

The CCPA specified several deceptive techniques, or “dark patterns,” that online platforms may use to manipulate consumers, including false urgency, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, subscription traps, interface interference, bait and switch, drip pricing, disguised advertisements, nagging, trick questions, SaaS billing, and rogue malwares.

Meanwhile, the government is planning to make it mandatory for ecommerce platforms to comply with quality consumer review norms to curb the problem of fake reviews.

In a meeting on Wednesday (May 15), representatives of major ecommerce players and tech giants such as Flipkart, Amazon, Google, and Meta endorsed a proposal that called for making compliance with standards on “online consumer reviews”, released in 2022, compulsory.

Ecommerce platforms have often found themselves under scrutiny from authorities. Earlier this year, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) reportedly directed quick commerce platforms to substantiate their ‘10 minute’ delivery claims. Additionally, Amazon, Flipkart, and Snapdeal received notices from the consumer protection body for selling substandard toys.