DoCA issues guidelines to curb fake reviews

The Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA), under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, on Monday issued guidelines to curb fake and deceptive reviews on e-commerce platforms.

As per the guidelines, e-commerce players like Amazon and Flipkart will have to voluntarily disclose all paid consumer reviews of products and services offered on their platforms, with the government bringing in new norms to curb fake reviews and help buyers make informed decisions.

Union Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh on Monday said the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has formulated a new standard ‘IS 19000:2022’ for Online Consumer Reviews —Principles and Requirement for their Collection, Moderation and Publication’. Consumers should not be allowed to edit their reviews and use foul language.