Can 'dark patterns' really be controlled?

The govt's efforts to protect consumers from manipulative advertising tactics are commendable, but ensuring compliance from e-commerce giants will be a daunting task

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) recently hosted a consultation session on dark patterns. The session was attended by the likes of Google, Meta, Amazon, Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy, Ola, Uber and other key stakeholders of the e-commerce world. The stakeholders reportedly agreed to create a self-regulatory framework to address the challenges posed by “dark patterns”. The participants discussed the various types of dark patterns, how they can be identified, their impact on customers, and the steps required to deal with them.

According to the ASCI, 29 per cent of advertisement complaints processed by