CCPA asks e-commerce platforms to self-audit for dark patterns within three months
The Central Consumer Protection Authority on 7 June 2025 advised all e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits within three months to detect and remove dark patterns.
Summary
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued an advisory to all e-commerce platforms on 7 June 2025, asking them to ensure they do not engage in deceptive and unfair trade practices in the nature of dark patterns. Platforms have been advised to conduct self-audits within three months of the advisory to identify dark patterns and remove them, and are encouraged to give self-declarations that their platforms are free of such practices. The CCPA said it has already issued notices in some cases of violation of the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023. The Department of Consumer Affairs has also constituted a Joint Working Group of ministries, regulators, voluntary consumer organisations and National Law Universities to identify such violations.
Key facts
- Issued by
- Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA)
- Date
- 7 Jun 2025
- Self-audit deadline
- Within 3 months
- Rules
- Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023
- Monitoring
- Joint Working Group set up by Dept of Consumer Affairs
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Within what period has the CCPA advised e-commerce platforms to complete self-audits to detect dark patterns, as per its advisory of 7 June 2025?
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Correct answer: D — 3 months
E-commerce platforms have been advised to conduct self-audits to identify dark patterns within 3 months of the issue of the advisory.
The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, cited in the CCPA's June 2025 advisory, were issued in which year?
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Correct answer: A — 2023
E-commerce platforms were advised to comply with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
Consider the following statements about the CCPA's dark patterns advisory of 7 June 2025: 1. E-commerce platforms are encouraged to give self-declarations that they are free of dark patterns. 2. The Joint Working Group set up to identify violations includes National Law Universities. Which of the above is/are correct?
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Correct answer: C — Both 1 and 2
Both statements are correct. Platforms are encouraged to give self-declarations, and the Joint Working Group constituted by the Department of Consumer Affairs includes National Law Universities along with ministries, regulators and voluntary consumer organisations.