The Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India in collaboration with IIT (BHU), launched Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023 here today. The deliverables of the Hackathon will be to design & prototype innovative app or software based solutions such as;
browser extensions,
plugins,
add-ons,
mobile applications etc.
That can detect the use, type and scale of following dark patterns for e-Commerce platforms:
- “Confirm shaming”: means using a phrase, video, audio or any other means to create a sense of fear or shame or ridicule or guilt in the mind of the user, so as to nudge the user to act in a certain way that results in the user purchasing a product or service from the platform or continuing a subscription of a service, where, primarily, the purpose of the platform is to make commercial gains by subverting consumer choice.
- “Nagging”: means a dark pattern due to which a user is worn down by repeated and persistent interactions, in the form of requests, information, options, or interruptions, to effectuate a transaction and make some commercial gains, unless specifically permitted by the user etc.
