The government is inviting hackers to craft solutions to protect consumers from the menace of dark patterns.
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) on Thursday launched the Dark Patterns Buster Hackathon 2023 in collaboration with IIT-BHU to help develop a design and prototype innovative app or software-based solutions that can identify if an e-commerce website is using one or more dark patterns.
Although there is no law governing the use of dark patterns, they contribute to unfair trade practices and can be classified as a violation of consumer rights, said Nidhi Khare, special secretary with DoCA.