India, Nov. 21 -- The consumer affairs ministry yesterday said that 26 ecommerce and quick commerce platforms have self-declared themselves free from so-called dark patterns.

In a press release, the ministry said that online marketplaces like Flipkart, Meesho, Blinkit, Zomato, Zepto and others have voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters that "confirm" compliance with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023.

As per the government, the platforms conducted internal self-audits or third-party audits to identify, assess and eliminate presence of dark patterns. "All 26 companies have declared that their platforms are free from dark patterns and do not deploy any manipulative user interface designs," read th...