The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has launched its first influencer-led campaign to raise consumer awareness about greenwashing and dark patterns, two advertising practices the organization identifies as manipulating consumer choice, according to a press release.

Eight creators are partnering with ASCI on the initiative: Shraddha Jain (@aiyyoshraddha), Aalekh Kapoor (@aalekhkapoor), Sakchi Jain (@ca.sakchijain), Ashutosh Pratap Singh (@technical_sapien), Pankti Pandey (@zerowasteadda), Vinod Kumar (@techsupreme_), Aisha Ahmed (@aisharahmed), and Sangeeth and Kavya (@lifeonroads__).

The greenwashing component will focus on educating consumers to evaluate sustainability claims, decode eco-labels, and distinguish credible environmental commitments from marketing buzzwords. The dark patterns segment will address tactics such as basket sneaking, hidden costs, and confusing interface choices that push users toward unintended decisions.

“Consumer Education is a key pillar of ASCI Academy,” said Manisha Kapoor, CEO and Secretary General of ASCI. “We are hoping to harness the credibility of voices trusted in the digital sphere to raise awareness around the two misleading practices of greenwashing and dark patterns. We aim to empower consumers to spot red flags and critically question claims they encounter in advertising.”

Regulatory Context

The campaign draws on findings from ASCI’s 2024 “Conscious Patterns” report, which found that 52 of the 53 top Indian apps use dark patterns, including drip pricing and privacy deception. ASCI’s guidelines on dark patterns complement the Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ Central Consumer Protection Authority regulations by targeting deceptive advertising-specific design practices.

On the environmental side, ASCI’s green claims guidelines, also introduced in 2024, have resulted in 236 processed cases since launch, all of which required modification.

Additional Initiatives

ASCI Academy also recently launched an e-learning course titled “Ethical UI/UX Designs,” which offers advertisers tools to eliminate dark patterns. The course covers deceptive tactics, their impact on consumers, and compliant alternatives aligned with ASCI codes.

The campaign operates under the ASCI Academy, which launched in August 2023 and is supported by Diageo India, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Mondelez International, Nestlé, Cipla Health, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Games 24×7, PepsiCo, P&G, Kenvue, and Bajaj Auto.