E-commerce platforms must audit, eliminate ‘dark patterns’, says Minister

The Centre has asked e-commerce platforms to conduct regular internal audits to identify and eliminate dark patterns on their platforms. Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, after a high-level stakeholders meeting Wednesday, said, “Companies must not wait for the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to intervene. They should proactively recognize and remove these deceptive practices before notices are issued. This is not regulatory compliance: it’s about building trust with your consumers.”

The meeting was attended by Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare, who also heads the CCPA, and representatives of major e-commerce companies, including Airbnb, Amazon, Apple, Zepto, Ola Electric, Tata Digital, Adidas India, and Samsung. The representatives of major industry associations and Voluntary Consumer Organisations and National Law Universities, also attended the meeting.