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News: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has intensified its scrutiny of e-commerce platforms for allegedly violating consumer rights. The authority is particularly targeting the use of dark patterns. Basket sneaking and Confirm Shaming
About Dark Patterns
- Dark patterns are defined as deceptive design techniques used in user interface (UI) or user experience (UX) that are intentionally created to mislead or manipulate users into actions they did not intend or wish to take.
- These practices undermine consumer autonomy, decision-making, or choice, and are considered misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, or violations of consumer rights.
About Basket Sneaking
- Basket sneaking is when extra items like paid services, products, or donations are added to your online shopping cart during checkout without asking you first.
- This makes your final bill higher than what you expected based on what you actually chose to buy.
- It’s not basket sneaking if: Free samples or complimentary services are added and Fees like delivery charges, gift wrapping, or taxes are added only if they were clearly shown to you before you made the purchase
- These are called “necessary fees” because they are required to complete the order and were clearly mentioned earlier.
- Examples of Basket Sneaking: A paid service is automatically added to your cart with a pre-checked box or one choose one salon service, but a paid subscription is added without ones permission. In all these cases, the total cost goes up without your clear permission.
About Confirm Shaming
- Confirm shaming is when a website or app tries to make you feel bad like guilty, scared, or embarrassed to pressure you into doing something, like buying a product or keeping a subscription.
- It uses words, videos, or sounds that try to shame you into saying yes.
- Examples of Confirm Shaming: When booking a flight, if one don’t add travel insurance, the site says: “I will stay unsecured.” (This tries to make one feel unsafe if you skip insurance.) or If one remove a charity donation from your cart, the site says:“Charity is for rich, I don’t care.” (This makes oneself feel guilty for not donating.)
