50% of descriptive patterns in ads involve manipulation of words and copy: Ashish Agarwal, Nasscom

Ashish Agarwal, VP and head of public policy at Nasscom, a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group, revealed that 50% of descriptive patterns in advertising involve the manipulation of words and copy.

Speaking at the unveiling of a report titled Conscious Patterns, Agarwal emphasised the significant role copy plays in deceptive advertising practices.

Rohit Kumar Singh, former secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, also highlighted cab aggregators as major offenders in the realm of dark patterns in advertising.?

"More troubling are subscription traps, as companies increasingly tie usage directly to revenue. Indians have a mixed attitude towards privacy, with a key issue being that websites should not be allowed to share data," Singh stated.