Irdai moves to outlaw deceptive 'dark patterns' on insurance websites

India's insurance regulator has called for a ban on so-called dark patterns — deceptive design techniques used on websites to manipulate consumers into making purchases or signing up for policies they did not intend to choose.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India is targeting practices that obscure cancellation options, pre-tick boxes for add-on covers, or make it deliberately difficult for users to compare or exit a product page without committing to a policy.

The move is part of a broader push to strengthen consumer protection in the digital insurance market, where online sales have grown rapidly in recent years.