New Delhi, June 7 -- In a sweeping move to protect online shoppers from digital manipulation, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has directed all e-commerce platforms to conduct self-audits within three months to identify and eliminate "dark patterns"-deceptive design tricks that mislead users into making unintended purchases or subscriptions.

The directive, issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Saturday, calls on platforms not only to audit their user interfaces but also to submit voluntary self-declarations confirming they are free of such practices. The goal, the authority said, is to foster a fair and transparent digital ecosystem that builds consumer trust.

To back this effort, the Department of Consumer Affai...