https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Union Secretary of Consumer Affairs Holds Meeting with Stakeholders on Combating Fake Online Reviews

The credibility of shopping platforms is severely compromised by the prevalence of fake reviews, leading consumers to make misguided purchasing decisions
Indian Masterminds Stories

The Department of Consumer Affairs hosted a stakeholder consultation on safeguarding consumer interests from fraudulent online reviews. The meeting was chaired by Mrs. Nidhi Khare, Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs.

There has been a significant increase in consumer complaints related to e-commerce, as reported by the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). Complaints have surged from 95,270 in 2018, accounting for 22% of all grievances, to 444,034 in 2023, which now represent 43% of the total.

In the realm of e-commerce, consumers rely heavily on online reviews for insights, since they cannot physically examine products. These reviews, which act as social proof, play a crucial role in building confidence among potential buyers about the products or services they consider purchasing.

However, the credibility of shopping platforms is severely compromised by the prevalence of fake reviews, leading consumers to make misguided purchasing decisions.

In response to these challenges, the Department introduced the Indian Standard (IS) 19000:2022 in November 2022, titled ‘Online Consumer Reviews — Principles and Requirements for their Collection, Moderation, and Publication.’ This standard emphasizes principles such as integrity, accuracy, privacy, security, transparency, accessibility, and responsiveness.

According to the standard, specific duties are assigned to both the author and the administrator of reviews. It requires organizations to verify the identity of review authors through designated methods and to develop a written code of practice. This code, which must be communicated to and accessible by all management and staff, outlines the procedures for adhering to and upholding the document and its guiding principles.

The essential requirements provided under the draft Quality Control Order (QCO) include that the processes for collecting, moderating and publishing online consumer reviews shall be done in a manner ensuring that the reviews that are genuine get published.

The prohibitions under the proposed QCO include –

The organisation shall not publish consumer reviews online collected with a bias objective and prejudice.
The organisation shall not edit reviews to alter their message.
The organisation shall not prevent or discourage people from submitting negative reviews.
Organizations are required to implement an appropriate mechanism for collection, moderation and publication of online consumer reviews in compliance with the principles and requirements specified in Indian Standard IS 19000:2022.

The discussion on moving towards a Quality Control Order for IS 19000:2022 was welcomed by stakeholders and there was a general consensus among all stakeholders that the issue of fake reviews is important to protect consumer interest while shopping online, and requires to be closely monitored. The Draft Quality Control Order will be placed for public consultation for submitting comments within a prescribed time frame.

Representatives from major online platforms (such as Google, Meta, Amazon, Flipkart etc.), industry bodies, voluntary consumer associations including MGP and noted consumer activist Pushpa Girimji and law chairs and law firms were present during the meeting. A presentation by the Department of Consumer Affairs, emphasizing on growth in online shopping over the recent times and the rising number of consumer grievances registered in the e-commerce sector on the National Consumer Helpline (NCH) was also made during the meeting.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
Judiciary_india
Karnataka Bar Council Urges Supreme Court Collegium to Reconsider Transfer of Four High Court Judges
NTPC Green Energy Ltd NGEL
NTPC Green Board to Consider Rs 5,000 Crore Bond Issue in FY26
Govt
5 Officers Reshuffled in Uttarakhand Secretariat
Indian Oil IOCL
Indian Oil to Invest Rs. 24,000 Crore in Gujarat for Refinery Expansion and Petrochemical Projects
IFS Indian Forest Service resized (IFoS)
14 IFS and 6 State Forest Service Officers Transferred in Madhya Pradesh, HU Khan Made CF&CEO (CAMPA) at HQ, Bhopal
Concor and gail MoU
CONCOR and GAIL Sign MoU to Promote Clean Fuel and Green Logistics
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
The Shouts of Joy Were Real: Aditya’s UPSC Rank 9 Was a Family Celebration
“UPSC is not the only path. If you are in any field… UPSC is not the only way to serve the nation. Be...
Raj Krishna Jha UPSC
Managing Study with a Full-Time Job, 4 Failures, & a Dream: UPSC Topper Raj Krishna Jha's Journey | Exclusive
From repeated failures to AIR 8, Raj Krishna Jha’s UPSC success proves that perseverance and strategic...
Utkarsh Yadav UPSC Rajasthan
Brother of Dausa DM Cracks UPSC with AIR 32: Utkarsh Yadav’s Inspiring Journey from Hamindpur to IAS
Utkarsh Yadav, an IIT Roorkee graduate from rural Rajasthan, secured AIR 32 in UPSC 2024 after three...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BPCL_resized
BPCL’s Sanjay Khanna Conferred with “TITAN - Refining Innovation Award” for Pioneering Excellence in HSE and Refining
Vartika Shukla CMD of EIL (1)
Vartika Shukla, CMD of EIL, Honored with Women’s Leadership Award at IOGTC 2025 - Know About Her
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Aditya Vikram Agarwal
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT