Centre to develop framework to check fake or misleading reviews on e-commerce websites

Vibha Sharma

New Delhi, May 28

The Centre will develop a framework to keep a check over fake and misleading reviews on e-commerce websites. 

The decision follows a meeting called by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) with stakeholders after studying the present mechanism being followed by e-commerce entities in India and best practices available globally, according to officials.

The DoCA, in association with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), discussed the magnitude and roadmap ahead for such reviews on e-commerce platforms with companies, consumer forums, law universities, lawyers, FICCI, CII and consumer rights activists.

“Since e-commerce involves a virtual shopping experience without any opportunity to physically view or examine the product, consumers heavily rely on reviews posted on e-commerce platforms to see the opinion and experience of users who have already purchased the good or service.

“Traceability by ensuring the authenticity of the reviewer and the associated liability of the platform are the two key issues here. Also e-com players must disclose as to how they choose the “most relevant reviews” for display in a fair and transparent manner,” said DoCA Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh.

E-commerce companies claimed that they had frameworks in place by which they monitored fake reviews. 

All stakeholders agreed that the issue deserved to be monitored closely and appropriate framework governing the fake reviews might be developed to address the issue for protection of consumer interest, officials said.

Also discussed

*Categories of fake and misleading reviews and their impact on consumer interest

*Paid reviews, unverifiable reviews 

*Absence of disclosure in case of incentivised reviews which make it challenging for consumers to recognise genuine reviews