CCPA imposes ₹1 lakh penalty on SpiceJet for using dark patterns on flight booking platform
CCPA imposes ₹1 lakh penalty on SpiceJet for using dark patterns on flight booking platform
- The Central Consumer Protection Authority imposed a ₹1,00,000 penalty on SpiceJet Limited for using deceptive design practices on its flight booking platform.
- Rule 4(9) of the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 requires consumer consent to be obtained through explicit and affirmative action.
- The Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 were cited by the Central Consumer Protection Authority in the SpiceJet case.
What happened
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a ₹1,00,000 penalty on SpiceJet Limited for using deceptive design practices, also called dark patterns, on its flight booking platform. The CCPA said the booking interface pushed consumers into consent and loyalty enrolment through default selections rather than explicit action.
The CCPA said consumers were automatically enrolled in the Spice Club Loyalty Programme through a pre-ticked checkbox. The CCPA also said consumers were treated as having agreed to promotional messages because the default option was already selected.
UPSC can frame SpiceJet’s case around whether consumer consent in online platforms is genuinely informed and freely given, and how regulators can curb dark patterns without stifling e-commerce. The case also links the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020, and the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.
