Regulating Dark Patterns: A New Step Towards Transparency In Commerce

The Central Consumer Protection Authority has notified the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 (Guidelines) to prevent and regulate ‘dark patterns’ deployed by online platforms, advertisers and sellers. The regulatory framework introduced by the Guidelines is expected to reinforce an increased sense of accountability among market participants, specifically sellers and advertisers, thereby reshaping the landscape of consumer commerce, specifically in the digital space.