The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a Rs 1 lakh penalty on SpiceJet for using deceptive dark patterns on its booking website to influence consumer consent, the regulator announced. The penalty follows an investigation into the airline’s consent mechanisms during ticket booking, which the CCPA found violated consumer protection laws by impairing informed choice.
The CCPA examined two consent checkboxes on SpiceJet’s booking interface. One was a pre-ticked box enrolling users into the SpiceClub Loyalty Programme unless actively deselected. The other was an unticked box with a negatively worded option, which meant consumers were automatically subscribed to promotional communications unless they opted out. The authority ruled these practices impaired consumer autonomy and amounted to unfair and deceptive methods of obtaining consent under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, according to medianama.com.
This ruling highlights regulatory scrutiny over digital consent mechanisms, especially the use of dark patterns that manipulate user decisions. The CCPA’s action against SpiceJet aligns with global trends where regulators are cracking down on misleading consent practices to protect consumer rights. The penalty serves as a warning to other companies employing similar tactics to secure consent without clear, informed user approval.
The CCPA’s order explicitly stated that SpiceJet’s interface created a false impression of consent and violated the Consumer Protection Act. The Rs 1 lakh fine was levied after the authority’s detailed examination of the airline’s booking website consent flows, marking a notable enforcement step in India’s consumer protection landscape.