India, May 30 -- Tap a screen, and groceries land at your door. Click a button, and a cab arrives. Swipe right, and a world of entertainment unfolds. The interface is smooth, the experience seamless. But look closer, and you'll notice something peculiar: a hand behind the curtain is constantly nudging you. Sometimes gently. Sometimes hard enough to tip you into decisions you didn't know you were making. These design choices are called "dark patterns."

Earlier this week, union minister Pralhad Joshi, who oversees consumer affairs, told e-commerce platforms to get their house in order. Conduct internal audits. Weed out manipulative design. Or face action. This follows on the heels of last year's guidelines by the Central Consumer Protectio...