India sets up task force to crack down on dark patterns online that manipulate consumers

Instances of interfaces on websites or mobile apps that influence users to make choices not in their best interest have proliferated in India as more people go online. — Unsplash

NEW DELHI: Imagine you are booking a flight through a travel Web portal. It claims – falsely – that only two tickets are left on the flight you have chosen, creating a misleading sense of urgency that compels you to book the seats immediately.

Or, how about a shaming pop-up that gets you to subscribe to an insurance company’s newsletter you never wanted? This because exiting the marketing pop-up would have meant clicking on a guilt-tripping button that reads: “No, thanks, I hate saving money.”