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India Today
4 days ago
- Business
- India Today
Consumer is king, to be ripped off their kingdom by crafty corporates
We live in a country where less than 11% of consumers are aware of their rights granted by the Consumer Protection Act, and over 90% do not know how to file a complaint. The situation is especially grim among the illiterate and economically weaker sections, who form the bulk of India's population and are the most exploited lack of awareness is not just a legal or economic issue, but a humanitarian one. The uninformed consumers, especially those who cannot read, write, or access digital platforms, are defenceless against predatory pricing, counterfeit products, financial scams, unsafe services, and apathetic legal framework: strong on paper, weak in practiceIndia has one of the most progressive consumer protection laws in the world. The Consumer Protection Act, originally enacted in 1986 and updated in 2019, grants six fundamental rights to consumers:Right to SafetyRight to be informedRight to ChooseRight to be heardRight to Seek RedressalRight to Consumer Awareness But the grim reality is that laws alone cannot protect those who are unaware of their existence. The challenge lies in translating these rights into real-life protections for India's rural poor, illiterate, and the digitally digital divide: exacerbating inequityIndia's digital push has been unprecedented, with over 950 million internet users and a booming e-commerce sector. But this digital transformation has also widened the gap between the informed and the ignorant. Most online consumer grievance redressal apps, and complaint portals are inaccessible to those who lack digital literacy or access to smartphones. This means that the very people who need protection the most -- are often excluded from using these exploitation: no receipts, no recourseIn India's villages and small towns, transactions are often informal. Bills are rarely issued. Warranty cards are missing. Information on MRP, ingredients, and expiry dates are either hidden or ignored. The illiterate consumer cannot read labels, understand toxic ingredients, or interpret price breakdowns. This makes them easy prey for substandard goods, expired medicines, duplicate fertilisers, and fraudulent mobile recharge government's flagship consumer awareness campaign, "Jago Grahak Jago," while iconic, has had limited impact in rural India. Posters and advertisements in English or Hindi do little for populations who are not even functionally benefits from ignorance?Corporates and businesses, especially in loosely regulated sectors, often benefit from this gap in awareness. They push high-interest microloans, mis-sell insurance, embed hidden charges in telecom services, and promote inferior products in rural areas with no fear of legal consequences. Their marketing is aggressive, but their accountability is education is not profitable, and hence, not prioritised. Transparency at the point of sale is often absent. Call Centres are poorly trained. Instructions are in English. And grievance redressal is layered with in general don't invest in consumer awareness, not due to oversight, but by design, as keeping the consumer uninformed is gender gap in consumer awarenessadvertisementThe situation is even worse for women. In many Indian households, women make the majority of consumer decisions, especially in food, healthcare, and education. Yet, most awareness drives fail to reach them. Women in rural areas have no access to phones or complaint portals. There are many cases where women were sold expired medicines, unsafe cosmetics, or fake nutritional supplements, without their awareness is not just about knowing your rights—it is about knowing you have the right to ask questions. Most Indian women, especially in conservative settings, are discouraged from speaking up in public or questioning authority figures like shopkeepers, bankers, or service literacy, and legaleseAnother barrier is language. Most consumer rights documents are published in English or Hindi. But India is a country of 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects. Legal literacy becomes legal intimidation when the consumer cannot even comprehend the basics of the complaint process. The forms, portals, and helpline instructions are often linguistically irony is stark: the Right to Consumer Awareness is a legal right, but its delivery mechanism excludes the very people who need the silent majorityIndia's consumer revolution remains incomplete. There are millions of rural Indians who don't even know that complaining is an option. Their illiteracy, ignorance, and silence have become the cost of doing business in responsibility to change this cannot lie with the government alone. Corporates, civil society, educators, and media must collaborate to make the consumer not just a buyer, but a be a true market democracy, India must empower all its consumers—especially the ones who cannot read the fine print, but deserve fairness all the same. Awareness is not a luxury. It is a right. And it is time we treated it as one.(Prof Bejon Misra is a renowned authority on consumer rights in India, known for his tireless efforts in promoting consumer welfare and advocating for consumer rights. He has been instrumental in shaping consumer protection policies and raising awareness about consumer issues. Through his work, he has made a significant impact on consumer rights in India. The views expressed are his own.)- Ends(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)
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Business Standard
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Govt tells e-commerce firms to audit dark patterns, submit yearly reports
The government has asked e-commerce platforms to conduct annual internal audits on dark patterns and submit their disclosure reports to the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), Pralhad Joshi, Minister of Consumer Affairs, said on Wednesday after meeting with more than 50 e-commerce platforms on the issue. The Ministry will also constitute a joint working group with stakeholders to examine the use of dark patterns, Joshi said after the meeting. 'These are deliberate actions by platforms, and the usage is not happening on a small scale. We have asked platforms for full compliance with issued guidelines, and to also ensure that no third-party merchants on their platforms use these patterns that can make a consumer feel trapped,' he said. In the meeting with representatives from several e-commerce platforms, executives were sensitised to the use of dark patterns—practices or deceptive design patterns that mislead or trick users, essentially subverting or impairing their autonomy. This comes as part of the Ministry's broader crackdown on the rampant use of such patterns. The government had notified guidelines for the prevention and regulation of dark patterns in 2023. Since the issuance of these guidelines, the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has sent 11 notices to companies across sectors such as pharmaceuticals and ticketing platforms. Of these, four were issued to cab aggregators like Uber, Ola, and Rapido over their 'advance tip' feature. DoCA had identified 13 commonly used dark patterns on e-commerce websites and mobile apps, including false urgency, basket sneaking, subscription traps, and nagging. Describing these as 'unfair trade practices that violate consumer rights,' the government has been working towards creating a transparent and fair digital marketplace where consumers can make informed decisions without being misled or coerced. Dark patterns are defined as practices or deceptive design mechanisms using UI/UX (user interface/user experience) interactions on any platform. They are designed to mislead or trick users into taking actions they did not originally intend. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has been working to eliminate the use of such patterns by e-commerce platforms and online portals. Last year, the government notified guidelines to prevent the usage of dark patterns, including specific examples like 'basket sneaking' and 'confirm shaming'. Basket sneaking refers to the inclusion of additional items—such as products, services, or donations—at the time of checkout from a platform without the user's consent. Confirm shaming refers to the use of phrases, videos, audio, or other means to create a sense of fear, shame, ridicule, or guilt in the mind of the user, nudging them to act in a way that results in purchasing a product or service. In December last year, the department launched three apps—Jago Grahak Jago, Jagriti, and the Jagriti Dashboard—to enhance the CCPA's ability to take suo motu action against dark patterns.
Time of India
08-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Meta takes down 23,000+ Facebook pages and accounts related to investment scams
Representative image Different types of scams to watch out for Investment Scams : Fraudsters lure victims with promises of quick and high returns on cryptocurrency, real estate, or stocks, often posing as financial advisors on social media. : Fraudsters lure victims with promises of quick and high returns on cryptocurrency, real estate, or stocks, often posing as financial advisors on social media. Advance Payment Scams: Scammers pretend to sell items on Facebook Marketplace, requesting payments upfront before disappearing. Overpayment & Refund Scams: Fraudsters overpay for a product using a fake receipt, then request a partial refund, later reversing the transaction and keeping both sums. Meta's anti-scam initiatives in India Department of Telecommunications (DoT): Collaborated with WhatsApp on training workshops to educate officials on scam identification and reporting. Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA): Launched a joint digital literacy campaign under the 'Jago Grahak Jago' program to help Indian consumers spot fraud. Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C): Conducted law enforcement training across seven Indian states, equipping officers to tackle online scams and fraud. Meta's safety tools to prevent scams Messenger Warnings: Alerts for suspicious payment requests and scam activity. Selfie Verification: Facial recognition technology to prevent celebrity impersonation scams and assist in account recovery. Privacy Check-Up: Customisable settings to control who can contact users and view their personal information. Meta has taken decisive action against investment and payment scams , removing more than 23,000 Facebook Pages and accounts that primarily targeted users in Brazil and India. The scammers employed deepfake technology , falsely depicting personal finance influencers, cricket stars, and business figures to promote fraudulent investment apps and gambling uncovered scam networks that redirected users to messaging apps for fake investment advice and even fraudulent websites mimicking the Google Play Store to distribute scam gambling apps. As part of its broader crackdown, Meta has shared new insights and practical tips to help users recognise investment and payment that scams rarely target a single platform, Meta continues to work with Indian authorities to boost digital safety :Meta is rolling out several anti-scam measures across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp:
