By Srividya Kannan

The government has directed e-commerce platforms to eliminate manipulative dark patterns in their interface designs. Insufficient technical expertise in regulatory bodies & challenges in cross-border enforcement, however, make it diffcult to curb these sneaky tactics, writes Srividya Kannan

What are dark patterns?

Dark patterns are user interface (UI) designs created to intentionally mislead or manipulate customers into actions they might not want to take. These actions could range from subscribing to a service they didn’t intend to, spending more money than planned, or giving up personal information unknowingly. Dark patterns exploit users’ psychology and cognitive biases. They often take advantage of confusing layouts, deceptive language, or subtle design tricks to guide users toward a specific decision. It’s a sneaky abuse of technology and design.

Examples of dark patterns include:

Dark patterns aren’t just annoying; they erode trust between users and brands.

Do these practices benefit retailers?

Dark patterns are especially prominent in e-commerce platforms and digital retail environments.

Take........

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