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Research Paper | Information Technology | Volume 15 Issue 6, June 2026 | Pages: 1048 - 1053 | India
Dark Patterns in Digital Platforms: An Economic Analysis of How UI Design Influences Consumer Choice in India
Abstract: Dark patterns-deceptive user-interface and user-experience choices crafted to trick or pressure users into actions they would not otherwise take- have become one of the most economically significant features of modern digital platforms. The term was coined by the user-experience designer Harry Brignull in 2010 as a deliberate play on the idea of a "design pattern," and the field has since grown from a niche design critique into a subject of formal regulation across the European Union, the United States, and India. This paper provides an economic analysis of how interface design steers consumer choice, drawing on behavioural economics- in particular the contrast between a benign "nudge" and a welfare-reducing "sludge"- to explain why small design decisions such as a pre-ticked box, a countdown timer, or a guilt-laden opt-out button can produce large and systematic distortions in markets. The analysis is grounded in the Indian context, where the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) issued the landmark Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023, which came into force on 30 November 2023 and enumerated thirteen specified dark patterns, followed by a June 2025 advisory requiring e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits. Through tabular comparisons, a process flowchart, and visual data, the paper examines the existing persuasive-design ecosystem, the proposed transparency-by-design framework, the advantages and disadvantages of regulation, and the future scope of ethical interface design. The findings suggest that dark patterns generate short-term private revenue for firms while imposing diffuse and often invisible welfare costs on consumers, eroding trust and competition, and that a combination of clear regulation, algorithmic detection, and consumer awareness is required to align interface design with genuine consumer sovereignty.
Keywords: Dark Patterns, Deceptive Design, Behavioural Economics, Consumer Choice, UI/UX, Nudge and Sludge, CCPA Guidelines 2023, Consumer Protection, Digital Markets, India
How to Cite?: Amaira Aggarwal, Raghu Raja Mehra, "Dark Patterns in Digital Platforms: An Economic Analysis of How UI Design Influences Consumer Choice in India", Volume 15 Issue 6, June 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1048-1053, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26614115419, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26614115419