India’s consumer watchdog, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), has intensified its action against deceptive online practices by taking enforcement measures against nine digital platforms across sectors including aviation, e-commerce, quick commerce, edtech and cybersecurity.
Informing the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, the Union government said the action was taken under the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, framed under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The guidelines identify 13 categories of manipulative user interface designs, such as false urgency, basket sneaking, subscription traps, drip pricing, confirm shaming and trick questions, which are now treated as unfair trade practices.
The government said companies found violating the guidelines can face penalties and directions to immediately stop such practices, signalling a shift from advisory-based regulation to active enforcement.
Officials also informed Parliament that the CCPA has issued 42 notices over suspected dark pattern violations and has already penalised several companies, including PhysicsWallah, McAfee and SpiceJet, for practices that allegedly influenced consumers’ choices without their informed consent.
Government Tightens Consumer Protection
Responding to questions in the Rajya Sabha, the Union government said the CCPA has taken action against nine companies operating across multiple digital sectors for deploying manipulative interface designs that influence consumer decisions during online transactions.
The regulator said these practices undermine consumers’ ability to make free and informed choices and therefore fall within the scope of unfair trade practices under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 recognise thirteen deceptive design practices, including false urgency, where misleading countdown timers create artificial scarcity; basket sneaking, where products or donations are automatically added to a shopping cart; subscription traps, which make it easy to subscribe but difficult to cancel; drip pricing, where mandatory charges appear only at the final stage of payment; confirm shaming, which uses guilt-inducing language to discourage users from opting out; and trick questions, which confuse users into giving unintended consent.
Other prohibited practices include interface interference, forced action, disguised advertisements, nagging, bait and switch, SaaS billing barriers and rogue malware prompts.
The government’s statement in Parliament comes after several enforcement orders issued by the CCPA over recent months. Among them, edtech platform PhysicsWallah was fined ₹5 lakh after regulators found that a ₹10 donation to the PW Foundation was automatically pre-selected during checkout, accompanied by emotional messaging discouraging users from removing it.
The authority also observed that some courses advertised as “free” required mandatory registration and sharing of personal information, classifying the practices as basket sneaking, confirm shaming and forced action.
Cybersecurity company McAfee was fined ₹1 lakh over its subscription renewal interface, with the regulator alleging that fear-based messaging, interface interference and confusing consent mechanisms impaired consumers’ ability to make informed decisions.
Aviation company SpiceJet was similarly fined ₹1 lakh after the CCPA found that customers were automatically enrolled into its SpiceClub loyalty programme and promotional communication through pre-ticked checkboxes. According to the regulator, consent obtained through default selections cannot be considered informed or affirmative consent under Indian consumer protection law.
From Guidelines to Active Enforcement
India became one of the first countries to issue dedicated guidelines defining and regulating dark patterns when the CCPA notified the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023. These rules were introduced to address growing concerns over manipulative digital design practices across online marketplaces, travel booking platforms, subscription-based services and app-based businesses.
While similar concerns have been raised by regulators in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, India has increasingly positioned consumer protection at the centre of its digital governance framework.
The current enforcement drive builds on measures introduced over the past year. In June 2025, the CCPA directed e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits within three months, identify and eliminate dark patterns from their websites and applications, and voluntarily declare compliance.
A Joint Working Group comprising government departments, sectoral regulators, consumer organisations and law universities was also constituted to study emerging forms of deceptive digital practices and recommend future regulatory interventions.
The government’s disclosure in Parliament indicates that enforcement has now moved beyond awareness campaigns and voluntary compliance. With 42 notices already issued over suspected violations and penalties imposed on companies across different industries, businesses are expected to review their checkout flows, subscription models, pricing disclosures, consent mechanisms and cancellation processes to ensure they comply with the law.
Consumer advocates have welcomed the move, arguing that manipulative interface designs often exploit psychological biases such as fear of missing out, confusion, time pressure and emotional persuasion, making it difficult even for digitally aware users to exercise genuine choice during online transactions.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
As India’s digital economy continues to expand, protecting consumer trust must remain just as important as encouraging innovation. Online platforms have transformed the way people shop, travel, learn and access services, but convenience should never come at the cost of informed consent or consumer autonomy.
Transparent pricing, clear communication and honest interface design are fundamental to building long-term relationships between businesses and users. Regulatory action against deceptive practices sends an important message that technology should empower consumers rather than manipulate them.
Also read: CBI Chargesheet Alleges NTA’s Own Experts Leaked NEET-UG 2026 Papers for Cash
