Mumbai: ASCI Academy, the training arm of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), has launched a new e-learning course titled ‘Ethical UI/UX Designs: Building Consumer Trust’. Developed in collaboration with Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL), the course is aimed at digital marketers, e-commerce companies, product professionals and designers, helping them build compliant and consumer-centric digital experiences.
The launch comes amid heightened regulatory scrutiny of unethical digital practices such as dark patterns, with the government stepping up enforcement. The course seeks to deepen industry understanding of how interface design can influence — and sometimes impair — consumer decision-making, while reinforcing ethical standards, transparency and trust in line with regulatory frameworks and ASCI’s codes.
Concerns around dark patterns continue to persist despite growing awareness. An independent survey by LocalCircles found that of 26 major digital platforms that claimed to be free of dark patterns, 21 were still using one or more prohibited deceptive design tactics, including drip pricing, forced action prompts and basket sneaking, even after self-certification. The findings underscore the need for greater clarity around identifying deceptive patterns and adopting ethical alternatives.
ASCI’s 40-minute e-learning programme is structured into three modules. The first introduces the fundamentals of UI and UX, explaining how design choices impact user behaviour. The second module decodes deceptive design patterns, while the final module examines the impact of dark patterns on consumer trust and presents ethical, compliant design alternatives.
Commenting on the initiative, Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General, ASCI, said, “As Indian advertising’s ethical compass, we are strongly focused on compliance training. While we have been working with the authorities to sensitise consumers and the industry about dark patterns, we are now putting words into action with this course. We strongly believe advertisers can make ethical and compliant user interfaces work for them, and the course will demonstrate that. It is geared to help the industry to build consumer trust in these times of dark patterns and support their long-term brand credibility.”
Dr Vivek Mittal, Executive Director, Legal and Corporate Affairs, HUL, added, “We welcome the initiatives by the Department of Consumer Affairs to curb dark patterns in e-commerce and reaffirm our commitment to responsible business practices and consumer protection. Consumer trust lies at the core of HUL’s philosophy. By investing in capability-building and aligning with regulatory expectations, we aim to set industry benchmarks in ethical design and consumer-centric practices.”
Upon successful completion of the course and assessment, participants will receive a certificate of completion, recognising them as professionals equipped to design trustworthy, compliant and consumer-centric digital interfaces.
The course can be accessed here.
