Department of Consumer Affairs to Launch New Apps on National Consumer Day.
2024 to Combat Dark Patterns in E-Commerce
Posted on: 22 DEC 2024 3:16 PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant step towards enhancing consumer protection in the digital age, the Department of Consumer Affairs is set to launch the ‘Jago Grahak Jago App,’ ‘Jagriti App,’ and ‘Jagriti Dashboard’ on December 24, 2024, coinciding with National Consumer Day 2024. This initiative aims to empower consumers and strengthen the Central Consumer Protection Authority’s (CCPA) capacity to combat dark patterns prevalent in e-commerce and online services.
The new apps are designed to significantly bolster the CCPA’s ability to take suo moto actions against deceptive practices, commonly referred to as dark patterns. These patterns often manipulate consumer behavior and decision-making processes, leading individuals to make choices they might not otherwise make. Examples of dark patterns include misleadingly urgent messages, forced actions, hidden costs, and confirm shaming—practices that have attracted scrutiny from the CCPA in recent months.
The CCPA has previously taken action against major e-commerce platforms for employing such deceptive tactics. Recently, notices were issued to IndiGo Airlines and BookMyShow under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for engaging in unfair trade practices through the use of dark patterns. BookMyShow came under fire for automatically charging customers a nominal contribution to ‘BookASmile’ without their explicit consent, a practice identified as ‘Basket Sneaking.’ Following CCPA’s intervention, the platform has since modified its process to allow customers the option of opting in.
Similarly, IndiGo Airlines faced allegations of ‘Confirm Shaming’—a tactic that coerces customers into agreeing to additional services. Following complaints to the National Consumer Helpline, CCPA directed the airline to revise its wording from “No, I will take risk” to the more neutral “No, I will not add to the trip.” In response to these complaints, IndiGo also updated its seat selection interface, providing clearer instructions regarding auto-assigned seating.
The introduction of the new apps aligns with the CCPA’s ongoing efforts to curb unfair practices in the digital marketplace. The ‘Jago Grahak Jago App’ will serve as a resource for consumers to assess the legitimacy of various e-commerce URLs, alerting them to potentially unsafe sites. Meanwhile, the ‘Jagriti App’ will enable users to report suspected dark patterns directly to the CCPA, facilitating swift regulatory action. The ‘Jagriti Dashboard’ will provide real-time analytics of online platforms, enhancing the CCPA’s monitoring capabilities.
These technological advancements are a result of intensive collaborations, including research conducted by students from the Electronics Engineering Department at IIT (BHU). The apps operate in real-time on the Airawat AI Supercomputer under the National Supercomputing Mission for AI and Data Analytics, analyzing e-commerce content to detect deceptive design influences.
Through these initiatives, the Department of Consumer Affairs aims to create a fair and transparent digital marketplace where consumers can freely make informed decisions without the risk of manipulation. The department emphasizes the importance of educating consumers about their rights and regulating ecommerce platforms to mitigate practices like subscription traps and misleading offers.
By encouraging ethical design practices within the industry, the CCPA hopes to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in online commerce, benefiting consumers across the board.
As the launch of these applications approaches, consumers are urged to take advantage of these tools, which are anticipated to play a crucial role in enhancing consumer rights and advocating for fair business practices in the fast-evolving digital marketplace.
