Review needed

Govt should address consumer complaints, not monitor product reviews

The Bureau of Indian Standards has released a framework for moderating reviews on e-commerce platforms. The “Indian Standard (IS) 19000:2022 Online Consumer Reviews — Principles and Requirements for their Collection, Moderation and Publication” will come into force on November 25. Compliance will be voluntary in the initial stages. However, the standards will eventually be mandatory with penalties imposed on e-commerce platforms for unfair trade practices or violating consumer rights. Any platform that allows for public reviews will be liable under the new framework once this becomes mandatory. This is in response to complaints made to the Department of Consumer Affairs.