New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, which operates the ride-hailing platform Ola, for soliciting additional payments from customers before completing their trips.
According to the regulator, the pre-ride ‘tip’ or ‘add-on’ feature deceived consumers, violating fair trade practices through the use of dark patterns.
Dark patterns are deceptive designs in apps and websites that push people into making choices they didn’t intend to make, like hidden fees or hard-to-cancel subscriptions.
The order, passed by Chief Commissioner Nidhi Khare and Commissioner Anupam Mishra, directed Ola to discontinue the practice immediately.
The authority examined the feature, which prompted users to pay extra while the app was searching for a driver, suggesting this could help them get a ride faster.
Ola later renamed the ‘tip’ as an ‘add-on’, but the CCPA found the practice unchanged, an official statement said.
The CCPA has also taken suo motu action against other cab aggregator platforms concerning the same practice. It has earlier passed an order against Rapido (Roppen Transportation Services Pvt. Ltd.), imposing a penalty of Rs 10 lakh.
Proceedings against Uber and Namma Yatri are currently under investigation. PTI LUX DRR
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