UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — CCPA Acts Against Dark Patterns on Digital Platforms

Q1. With reference to the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), consider the following statements:

  1. It is a statutory body established under Section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
  2. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
  3. Its Investigation Wing is headed by a Director-General.
  4. Its Chief Commissioner and other Commissioners are appointed by the Chief Justice of India.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 1, 2 and 4
  • D. 3 only

Q2. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, what is the maximum penalty that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) can impose on a manufacturer or endorser for a false or misleading advertisement for the first contravention?

  • A. ₹1 lakh
  • B. ₹5 lakh
  • C. ₹10 lakh
  • D. ₹50 lakh

Q3. Which one of the following statutory authorities notified the 'Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023', which classify 13 specified dark patterns prevalent on digital platforms in India?

  • A. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
  • B. Competition Commission of India
  • C. Central Consumer Protection Authority
  • D. Data Protection Board of India

Q4. With reference to the 'Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023' notified by the Central Consumer Protection Authority, which of the following is/are NOT among the specified dark patterns listed in the Guidelines?

  1. Drip pricing
  2. Roach motel
  3. Subscription trap
  4. SaaS billing
  • A. 1 and 3 only
  • B. 2 only
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1, 3 and 4 only

Q5. With reference to the June 2026 action by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) against PhysicsWallah and McAfee for dark patterns, consider the following statements:

  1. CCPA imposed a monetary penalty of ₹5 lakh on PhysicsWallah Limited.
  2. McAfee Software India was penalised ₹10 lakh, the maximum permissible first-offence penalty under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
  3. PhysicsWallah was held in violation partly for pre-selecting a donation to the PW Foundation at checkout with emotive messaging.
  4. McAfee's subscription renewal interface presented only 'Renew Now' and 'Accept Risk' as choices, without a neutral option.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1, 3 and 4
  • C. 2 and 4 only
  • D. 1 and 4 only

Q6. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), which imposed penalties on PhysicsWallah and McAfee in June 2026 for dark-pattern practices, functions under which one of the following?

  • A. Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • B. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • C. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • D. Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance

Q7. With reference to the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, which of the following is/are NOT a requirement placed on marketplace e-commerce entities?

  1. Appointment of a Resident Grievance Officer to redress consumer grievances.
  2. Acknowledgement of consumer complaints within forty-eight hours of receipt.
  3. Mandatory registration with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) before commencing operations in India.
  4. Fall-back liability where a seller fails to deliver goods or services due to negligent conduct.
  • A. 1 and 4 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 4 only

Q8. The Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, which govern obligations of e-commerce entities and grievance redressal, were notified by which one of the following?

  • A. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • B. Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
  • C. Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry
  • D. Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice

Q9. With reference to the digital tools launched by the Department of Consumer Affairs on National Consumer Day, 2024 to combat dark patterns, consider the following statements: 1. The 'Jago Grahak Jago App' enables consumers to register a formal complaint against an e-commerce URL with the Central Consumer Protection Authority, whereas the 'Jagriti App' only provides safety alerts about URLs being browsed. 2. The 'Jagriti Dashboard' generates real-time reports on e-commerce URLs for the presence of dark patterns, while the 'Jago Grahak Jago App' alerts consumers when a URL may be unsafe. 3. All three tools — Jago Grahak Jago App, Jagriti App and Jagriti Dashboard — were launched together for public use on 24 December 2024. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 'Jago Grahak Jago App' enables consumers to register a formal complaint against an e-commerce URL with the Central Consumer Protection Authority, whereas the 'Jagriti App' only provides safety alerts about URLs being browsed.
  2. The 'Jagriti Dashboard' generates real-time reports on e-commerce URLs for the presence of dark patterns, while the 'Jago Grahak Jago App' alerts consumers when a URL may be unsafe.
  3. All three tools — Jago Grahak Jago App, Jagriti App and Jagriti Dashboard — were launched together for public use on 24 December 2024.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q10. With reference to the initiatives of the Department of Consumer Affairs to combat dark patterns on digital platforms, which of the following is/are NOT among the digital tools launched for public use on National Consumer Day, 24 December 2024? 1. Jago Grahak Jago App 2. Jagriti App 3. e-Daakhil Portal 4. Jagriti Dashboard Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. Jago Grahak Jago App
  2. Jagriti App
  3. e-Daakhil Portal
  4. Jagriti Dashboard
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 3 only
  • C. 2 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q11. Under which Section of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 is the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) established?

  • A. Section 2
  • B. Section 10
  • C. Section 18
  • D. Section 28

Q12. As per the Consumer Protection (Jurisdiction of the District Commission, the State Commission and the National Commission) Rules, 2021, what is the upper limit (in rupees) of the pecuniary jurisdiction of a District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission?

  • A. 20 lakh
  • B. 50 lakh
  • C. 1 crore
  • D. 2 crore

Q13. How many consumer rights are statutorily recognised for consumers in India under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019?

  • A. Four
  • B. Five
  • C. Six
  • D. Eight

Q14. National Consumer Day, observed in India on 24 December every year, specifically commemorates the date on which the President of India gave assent to which one of the following enactments?

  • A. The Consumer Protection Act, 1986
  • B. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019
  • C. The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969
  • D. The Sale of Goods Act, 1930

Q15. With reference to the Central Consumer Protection Authority's (CCPA) 2025 advisory on dark patterns and the subsequent self-audit framework for e-commerce platforms, consider the following statements:

  1. The advisory directed all e-commerce platforms to conduct a self-audit within three months to detect dark patterns.
  2. The Joint Working Group constituted by the Department of Consumer Affairs to monitor dark patterns includes representatives from National Law Universities.
  3. The advisory derives its statutory backing from the Information Technology Act, 2000.
  4. E-commerce platforms were directed to upload their self-audit declarations prominently on their own websites.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 3 and 4

Q16. As announced by the Department of Consumer Affairs in November 2025, how many leading e-commerce platforms voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters confirming compliance with the CCPA's self-audit advisory on dark patterns?

  • A. 13
  • B. 21
  • C. 26
  • D. 34