Tech majors opposing India’s dark patterns norms
Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Google and others say that such move may stagnate the growth of India’s digital economy
image for illustrative purpose
New Delhi: The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) that has Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Google and other Big Tech companies as its members, has opposed the draft dark pattern guidelines by the Indian government, saying the move may stagnate the growth of India’s digital economy by having an adverse effect on the ease of doing business (EoDB).
The government released draft guidelines last month to curb ‘dark patterns’ used by online platforms. These dark patterns mislead people into doing something they did not wish to do, such as paying for items or services they did not intend to buy. The draft document, released by the Department of Consumer Affairs, was available on the department’s website where people could leave feedback until October 5. In a letter sent to the Department of Consumer Affairs, the coalition argued that online platforms, and especially online advertisements, are already regulated under various existing laws in India.
“Existing laws in India already account for the regulation and prevention of dark patterns. Any attempt to introduce a separate regulatory framework would cause unnecessary regulatory overlap,” said the AIC.
