98% of top Indian apps use deceptive patterns: ASCI report

A recent study by the Advertising Standards Council Of India (ASCI) Academy, in collaboration with design firm Parallel HQ, has uncovered the extensive use of deceptive or 'dark' patterns in popular Indian apps. Dark patterns are misleading UI/UX strategies that can trick users into making unintended choices.

The report, titled ‘Conscious Patterns’, analysed over 12,000 screens from 53 apps across nine industries and found that 52 of these employ deceptive design practices. It identified an average of 2.7 deceptive patterns per app, with health-tech apps exhibiting the highest prevalence, followed by travel booking and fintech sectors. Among the deceptive tactics observed were privacy deception, interface interference, drip pricing, and false urgency, which together accounted for 78% of the total occurrences.

Manisha Kapoor, CEO and secretary general of ASCI, said that deceptive patterns harm consumer trust and transparency in the digital ecosystem. With just the top 53 apps being downloaded over 21 billion times, the consumer exposure to deceptive patterns across apps, websites, and other digital interfaces is mind-boggling.

“We urge organisations to follow conscious design principles that protect the consumer’s right to make an informed choice. The gallery of inspiration and the score calculator are important resources for companies that wish to get it right,” she said.

Notably, over 80% of the apps studied had deceptive patterns in their settings or profile sections, making account deletion particularly challenging in e-commerce apps.

The report also highlighted that false urgency was commonly used in health-tech apps to pressure users into making quick decisions, with four out of five health tech apps relying on creating time-based pressure for this. Delivery and logistics apps showed a high incidence of basket sneaking—a tactic to add unwanted items to a user's online shopping cart without their explicit consent. The lowest occurrences were of deceptive patterns per app were observed in streaming services at 1.8 and in the gaming sector at 2.4.

Robin Dhanwani, founder, Parallel, stated, “Our research uncovers the subtle yet widespread presence of deceptive patterns in Indian apps, highlighting the need for a shift towards more transparent design practices. By championing ethical design, we not only build user trust but also drive innovation that honours consumer autonomy. I hope this report encourages makers to rethink growth strategies and put user-first thinking as the foundation of their products in the coming future.”

The findings emphasise the need for ethical design in digital platforms, as these apps have been downloaded over 21 billion times, significantly impacting consumer behaviour. The report also suggests alternative ethical designs and provides a scoring tool to help developers adopt more transparent practices. This initiative, supported by industry body Nasscom, aims to address the challenges posed by deceptive design and promote consumer trust.

ASCI and Parallel HQ's report also calls for a shift towards conscious app development, with ASCI having released guidelines on deceptive patterns in advertising in June 2023, followed by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) issuing guidelines on 13 deceptive patterns in November 2023. These measures highlight that the use of such tactics is considered a misleading advertisement, an unfair trade practice, or a violation of consumer rights.