Dark Patterns in India's Digital Subscriptions: Trust at Risk

India's digital subscription market is booming, but deceptive billing practices threaten consumer trust. Users, especially from smaller towns, face auto-renewal traps with complex cancellation processes. This manipulation not only leads to unexpected charges but also artificially inflates subscriber metrics, misleading consumers and investors, signaling a need for regulatory action.

The rapid expansion of India's digital subscription services, including platforms like Kuku FM, Stage, and Seekho, coincides with a troubling rise in fraudulent billing practices. This new trend is panicking consumers and jeopardizing trust in the digital commerce sector.

Many users, particularly from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, report unanticipated or unauthorized payments due to deceptive billing methods, often fueled by a lack of clear communication regarding subscription renewals and convoluted cancellation processes. Such dark patterns exploit the limited digital literacy prevalent in smaller towns.

The lack of transparency, hidden fees, and cumbersome cancellation protocols not only discourage current consumers but also lead to inflated user engagement metrics. This scenario misleads both consumers and investors, prompting calls for regulatory oversight to curb these exploitative practices.

(With inputs from agencies.)