CCPA Fines Rapido ₹10 Lakh for Using Dark Patterns

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, the operator of the ride-hailing platform Rapido, for employing dark patterns and misleading advertisements. The regulator determined that Rapido used a technique called confirm shaming, where the platform prompted riders to increase their fares after a booking was made by claiming higher prices increased the likelihood of securing a ride.

Investigators also identified interface interference in Rapido's set your price slider. The tool used green text to encourage higher fares while using red or orange warnings for lower ones to visually steer users toward higher payments. Additionally, the CCPA ruled that Rapido's practice of soliciting tips before a ride commenced violated the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025, stating that tipping must be voluntary and occur only after a service is rendered.

Rapido argued that these prompts were voluntary real-time negotiations, but the CCPA rejected the claim, noting the company provided no data to prove that higher payments actually improved ride likelihood. This action is part of a broader sector-wide probe into cab and bike-taxi aggregators regarding dynamic pricing and pre-ride tipping. The CCPA is currently conducting ongoing investigations into other major platforms, including Uber and Ola, and has previously issued compliance notices to Uber, Ola, Rapido, and Namma Yatri.