ASCI Academy launches e-learning course on ethical UI/UX design

ASCI Academy, the training arm of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), has launched an e-learning course titled Ethical UI/UX Designs: Building Consumer Trust. The course is aimed at digital marketers, e-commerce companies, product managers and designers, and has been developed in collaboration with Hindustan Unilever.

The course comes amid heightened regulatory attention on dark patterns and deceptive digital design practices in India and globally. It focuses on how interface design influences user behaviour and decision-making, while outlining ethical alternatives aligned with ASCI’s codes and existing regulatory frameworks.

The 40-minute course is structured into three modules. The first introduces the fundamentals of UI and UX and their impact on user choices. The second module identifies and explains deceptive design practices. The final module examines how such practices affect consumer trust and presents ethical design approaches that support compliance.

According to an independent survey by LocalCircles, a majority of platforms reviewed were still deploying one or more prohibited design tactics.

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, said: “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.”

Participants who complete the course and assessment will receive a certificate recognising their understanding of compliant and consumer-focused digital design.