What are dark patterns? 

• A dark pattern refers to a design or user interface technique that is intentionally crafted to manipulate or deceive users into making certain choices or taking specific actions that may not be in their best interest. 
• It is a deceptive practice employed to influence user behaviour in a way that benefits the company implementing it. 
• For example, a common dark pattern is the “sneak into basket” technique used on e-commerce websites. When a user adds an item to their shopping cart, a dark pattern may be employed by automatically adding additional items to the cart without the user’s explicit consent or clear notification. 
• This can mislead the user into purchasing more items than they intended, potentially increasing the company’s sales but compromising the user’s autonomy and decision-making. 
• By using such dark patterns, digital platforms infringe on the consumer’s right to full transparency of the services they use and control over their browsing experience. 

Are dark patterns illegal? 

• The legality of dark patterns is a complex matter as distinguishing between manipulation and fraudulent intent can be challenging. 
• As of now, there are no specific regulations in place in most nations against dark patterns. 
• In India, the government has warned companies to refrain from using such tactics in the e-market. However, with the growing use of e- platforms, a robust legal mechanism is a demand. 

Why in News?

• The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India has launched Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023. 
• The objective of the initiative is to design & prototype innovative app or software based solutions such as;
  • browser extensions,
  • plugins,
  • add-ons,
  • mobile applications etc. that can detect the use, type and scale of dark patterns for e-Commerce platforms. 

https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1971567