New Delhi, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against nine digital platforms, including IndiGo, Zepto, Physics Wallah, BookMyShow, FirstCry and SpiceJet, for allegedly using deceptive online practices known as “dark patterns” to influence consumer decisions during purchases and subscriptions.
The action was disclosed by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, stating that the consumer regulator has intensified enforcement against manipulative digital interfaces that may mislead users.
The CCPA has penalised companies for practices such as drip pricing, basket sneaking, confirm shaming, subscription traps and misleading prompts. These techniques are designed to push consumers towards choices they may not have intended to make.
The regulator has so far recovered around Rs 20 lakh in penalties from companies found violating the dark patterns guidelines.
In June 2025, the CCPA had directed e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits and identify as well as remove such practices from their digital services.
Quick commerce platform Zepto Marketplace was fined Rs 7 lakh after the regulator found that additional handling charges and membership fees were added during the checkout process after customers had already seen the initial price. The CCPA classified the practice as drip pricing and basket sneaking. Zepto later discontinued the identified practices.
Edtech platform Physics Wallah was penalised Rs 5 lakh after the CCPA took suo motu cognisance of a pre-selected Rs 10 donation option linked to its PW Foundation. The regulator observed that users were shown emotionally persuasive messages encouraging them to retain the donation option. It also raised concerns over the requirement for users to share personal information before accessing free courses. The company later paid the penalty and removed the practices.
The regulator also acted against IndiGo over a confirm shaming practice on its mobile application. Following objections from the CCPA, the airline changed its opt-out message from “No I will take risk” to the more neutral wording, “No, I will not add to the trip.”
BookMyShow was directed to discontinue a pre-selected Rs 1 donation option for its BookASmile initiative after the regulator classified it as basket sneaking.
Other entities penalised by the CCPA include FirstCry, which was fined Rs 2 lakh, coaching platform Anuj Jindal with a penalty of Rs 3 lakh, and PharmaEasy, McAfee and SpiceJet, each of which faced a fine of Rs 1 lakh.
The government said the action reflects the regulator’s efforts to strengthen consumer protection in the rapidly expanding digital marketplace.
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