CCPA Acts Against Dark Patterns on Digital Platforms

• Dark patterns are deceptive UI/UX design choices that manipulate consumers into decisions they would not otherwise make; Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) is the statutory body tasked with curbing them under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
• On 3 June 2026, CCPA imposed penalties on PhysicsWallah (₹5 lakh) and McAfee India (₹1 lakh) — the first headline-grabbing monetary actions specifically branded as dark-pattern enforcement.
• Examinable for UPSC: ties together consumer rights, e-commerce regulation, digital governance, and behavioural economics in policy (GS-II/III).