The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against PhysicsWallah and McAfee Software India, imposing monetary penalties and directing both companies to discontinue certain digital interface practices.
The authorities said the identified practices could affect consumers' ability to make independent and informed decisions while using online platforms.
PhysicsWallah received a penalty of ₹5 lakh following CCPA's examination of features on its platform. The authority found that a ₹10 contribution to the PW Foundation was automatically selected during checkout and added to the payable amount unless users actively removed it.
The regulator also noted that users were shown messages related to children's education, healthcare, and marriages while making payment decisions. According to the findings, these messages encouraged users to retain the donation option.
Another issue involved courses promoted as free. Users were required to provide personal details such as mobile numbers and email addresses before gaining access.
CCPA observed that the educational content remained the same across accounts, indicating that mandatory collection of personal information was not essential for accessing the courses.
McAfee Software India was fined ₹1 lakh after the authority reviewed its subscription renewal interface. Users were reportedly presented with two primary choices: "Renew Now" and "Accept Risk".
CCPA stated that the wording could create the impression that customers would face cybersecurity risks if they chose not to renew their subscriptions.
The authorities further observed that the presentation of options could influence renewal decisions by placing greater emphasis on continuing the subscription.
According to the findings, consumers should be able to decide whether to renew a service without being influenced by fear-based messaging or interface designs that favour one outcome over another.
The action forms part of CCPA's broader efforts to address dark patterns across digital platforms.
The authority's guidelines, notified in November 2023, identified 13 practices that may negatively affect consumer choice, including basket sneaking, confirm shaming, forced action, interface interference and trick questions.
In June 2025, CCPA had also advised e-commerce companies and digital platforms to conduct self-assessments and remove such practices from their user interfaces.
The latest orders reinforce the authority's position that online consumers should be able to make decisions based on clear information and explicit consent.
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The penalties imposed on PhysicsWallah and McAfee highlight increasing scrutiny of digital platform design and consumer interactions. The CCPA has directed both companies to remove the identified practices and ensure that users can make informed choices without pressure or manipulation.
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Published on: Jun 4, 2026, 1:43 PM IST
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