24/08/2026
Can a pre-ticked donation box during online checkout violate consumer law?
The CCPA held that the answer is yes.
PhysicsWallah was fined ₹5 lakh for using dark patterns, including a pre-selected donation checkbox, emotional prompts encouraging donations, and requiring users to share personal details to access "free" courses.
The Authority clarified that valid digital consent must be affirmative, informed, and voluntary. A pre-ticked checkbox is not valid consent.
The ruling reinforces that online platforms cannot use design tricks to influence consumer choices.
{CCPA, PhysicsWallah, Dark patterns, Consumer protection, Digital consent, Basket sneaking, Confirm shaming, EdTech, Legal updates, IndiaLaw}