ISSN2320-2882
Impact Factor9.17
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ESTD2013
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Paper Title
Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem
Authors
Saumya Singh
Keywords
Greenwashing, E-Commerce, Intermediary Liability, Dark Patterns, CCPA Guidelines 2024
Abstract
The rapid expansion of e-commerce in India has seen a parallel rise in 'greenwashing', the practice of making misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims. While the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) notified the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Greenwashing in 2024, this paper argues that the current legal framework remains ill-equipped to handle the nuances of digital deception. This paper identifies three critical legal gaps: (1) the inadequacy of the 'reasonable consumer' standard in the face of algorithmic targeting and cognitive vulnerability; (2) the 'Intermediary Liability Paradox' where compliance with greenwashing guidelines traps platforms into potentially forfeiting their 'Safe Harbor' immunity under Section 79 of the IT Act; and (3) the evidentiary burden created by the ephemeral nature of digital 'dark patterns.' By synthesizing Indian consumer law, IT law, and comparative international standards like the EU Digital Services Act, this paper proposes specific reforms, including a reverse burden of proof under the Indian Evidence Act, the creation of a 'Safe Compliance Lane' for intermediaries, and the mandatory establishment of digital ad repositories to ensure transparency and accountability in India's green digital marketplace.
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IJCRT — journal style
"Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem", IJCRT - International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts (www.ijcrt.org), ISSN:2320-2882, Vol.14, Issue 1, page no.d629-d636, January 2026, Available :https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2601444.pdf
APA — 7th edition
Singh, S. (2026). Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 14(1), d629-d636. https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444
MLA — 9th edition
Singh, Saumya. "Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem." International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, vol. 14, no. 1, 2026, pp. d629-d636, https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444.
Chicago — 17th, bibliography
Singh, Saumya. "Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem." International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts 14, no. 1 (2026): d629-d636. https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444.
Harvard — author–date
Singh, S. (2026) 'Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem', International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 14(1), pp. d629-d636. Available at: https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444
IEEE — numbered reference
S. Singh, "Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem," IJCRT, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. d629-d636, Jan. 2026.
Vancouver — biomedical
Singh S. Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem. IJCRT. 2026 Jan;14(1):d629-d636.
AMA — 11th edition
Singh S. Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem. IJCRT. 2026;14(1):d629-d636. Accessed at https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444
BibTeX — Zotero, Mendeley, LaTeX
@article{IJCRT2601444,
author = {Saumya Singh},
title = {Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem},
journal = {International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts},
volume = {14},
number = {1},
pages = {d629-d636},
year = {2026},
month = {January},
issn = {2320-2882},
url = {https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444}
}
RIS — EndNote, RefWorks
TY - JOUR
AU - Singh, Saumya
TI - Digital Deception or Eco-Branding? Navigating the Intermediary Liability Paradox and Greenwashing in India's E-Commerce Ecosystem
T2 - International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts
JA - IJCRT
VL - 14
IS - 1
PY - 2026
SN - 2320-2882
UR - https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444
SP - d629-d636
ER -
Issue
Volume 14 Issue 1,
January-2026
Pages : d629-d636
Article Information
- Pages
- d629-d636
- Published
- January 2026
- Registration ID
- IJCRT_300074
- Published Paper ID
- IJCRT2601444
- Research Area
- Social Science All
- Author Type
- Indian Author
- Location
- patna, bihar, India
- Peer Review
- Request Peer Review Report
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 · Open Access
- ISSN & Impact Factor
- 2320-2882 · IF 9.17
- Downloads
- 183
- Permanent Link
- https://ijcrt.org/viewpaperforall.php?paper=IJCRT2601444
- Published Paper PDF
- https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2601444.pdf
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