1 hr ago
CCPA Fines Rapido ₹10 Lakh Over Dark Patterns
India’s consumer watchdog fined Rapido’s operating company ₹10 lakh.
The watchdog said the app asked some riders to pay extra before their rides were confirmed.
It showed messages suggesting that paying more could help get a ride.
The watchdog said these messages could make people feel worried about losing the ride.
It called this practice “Confirm Shaming,” a type of dark pattern.
The app’s price slider also used green, red, and orange colours that could encourage people to raise the fare.
The watchdog called this “Interface Interference.”
It said tips should normally be voluntary and offered after a ride is finished.
Rapido said its tips were voluntary and did not affect its ride-matching system.
The CCPA fined Roppen Transportation Services ₹10 lakh for practices on its Rapido ride-hailing platform.
The authority said Rapido prompted riders to pay more before their rides were confirmed.
Messages allegedly suggested that higher fares increased the chances of securing a ride.
The CCPA classified the prompts as “Confirm Shaming” and the colour-coded price slider as “Interface Interference.”
Rapido said tipping was voluntary and that its matching algorithm was not affected by additional payments, while investigations into Uber and Ola continue.
- Who
- The Central Consumer Protection Authority fined Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, which operates Rapido.
- What
- The CCPA imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty over alleged misleading advertisements, unfair trade practices, an unfair contract, and dark patterns involving extra payments.
- Where
- On Rapido’s ride-hailing platform in India.
- When
- Tuesday, September 15, 2026.
- Why
- The CCPA said Rapido’s prompts and price-slider design could pressure riders to pay more before their rides were confirmed.
CCPA’s Position
Rapido’s Position
Effect of extra payments
CCPA’s Position
The CCPA said the app’s prompts created the impression that paying more was necessary or would improve the chances of getting a ride, and said the claim was not substantiated by supporting data.
Rapido’s Position
Rapido argued that its additional payment was a voluntary tip and that its matching algorithm was unaffected by whether a customer paid more.
Timing and presentation of tipping
CCPA’s Position
The CCPA said a tip is generally voluntary and should be offered after the service, not as a condition or prompt during booking; it also said the slider’s colours nudged consumers toward higher prices.
Rapido’s Position
Rapido argued that the prompts reflected real-time interactions similar to offline conversations between customers and drivers.
Key facts
- Penalty
- ₹10 lakh
- Company fined
- Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited
- Platform
- Rapido
- Prompt examples
- “Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride” and “Captains aren't accepting at ₹60. Try adding +10, +20, +30”
- Dark patterns identified
- Confirm Shaming and Interface Interference
- Relevant guidelines
- Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023
- Tipping rule cited
- The Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2025 state that tipping should be available after ride completion rather than at booking or during the ride
Quotes
Nidhi Khare and Anupam Mishra
Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare and CCPA Commissioner Anupam Mishra
“During the scrutiny of various platforms, the CCPA found that the Rapido app displayed messages during the booking process-such as 'Higher fare increases the likelihood of getting a ride' and 'Captains are not accepting rides at Rs 60...try adding +10, +20, or +30'-to influence user behaviour.”
NDTV
“This action follows a comprehensive investigation conducted by the CCPA into the cab and bike-taxi aggregator platform sector operating in India. The investigation aimed to examine practices related to pre-ride tipping and dynamic pricing.”
NDTV
Rapido app
The ride-hailing application operated by Rapido
“Captains aren't accepting at ₹60. Try adding +10, +20, +30”
livemint.com
“Higher the price, higher the chance of getting a ride”
livemint.com
Department of Consumer Affairs
Government department issuing the CCPA release
“Increasing the price displayed a 'higher chance of getting a ride' indicator in green. Lowering the price triggered a warning in red or orange. The slider offered more scope for increasing the price than for lowering it.”
NDTV
Sources
Consumer watchdog slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on Rapido over ads
"Confirm Shaming": Rapido Fined Rs 10 Lakh For Unfair Pricing Tactics
CCPA imposes ₹10 lakh penalty on Rapido: How dark patterns and tipping prompts nudge you to pay more for a ride
CCPA Fines Rapido ₹10 Lakh For Alleged Dark Patterns, Misleading Fare Prompts In Ride Bookings
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