Now Reading: CCPA Penalises Nine Platforms Over Deceptive Digital Designs
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CCPA Penalises Nine Platforms Over Deceptive Digital Designs
The Central Consumer Protection Authority has penalised nine digital platforms, including IndiGo, Zepto, FirstCry, Physics Wallah and SpiceJet, for using deceptive interface designs known as dark patterns, the government told the Rajya…
The Story in Brief
The Central Consumer Protection Authority has penalised nine digital platforms, including IndiGo, Zepto, FirstCry, Physics Wallah and SpiceJet, for using deceptive interface designs known as dark patterns, the government told the Rajya Sabha. The platforms can influence consumer choices through tactics such as false urgency, basket sneaking, subscription traps, drip pricing and confirm shaming.
The CCPA issued an advisory in June 2025 asking e-commerce companies to conduct self-audits. Since then, it has collected about Rs 20 lakh in fines from violators, according to the government. The Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, lists 13 such practices. Consumer advocates have also called for clearer product, nutrition, allergen, manufacturing and expiry information on online listings.
The Indian Opinion
The loudest claims will cast every checkout prompt as a scam, or dismiss the issue as harmless growth testing. Both miss the practical test. A customer should see the full price, renewal terms and essential product information before payment, without misleading timers or forced choices. The CCPA’s Rs 20 lakh collection is modest against the scale of online commerce. Future orders and penalties will show whether enforcement changes design, not just company statements.
Source: timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
