Celebrities to front consumer rights campaign on WhatsApp

New Delhi: As part of its effort to promote awareness about consumer rights, the ministry of consumer affairs plans to involve celebrities to amplify the reach of its WhatsApp channel for filing complaints, and publishing notices and orders, according to two people in the know.

The objective is to simplify consumer access to information, and provide a platform for lodging complaints through social media, one of the people said. “Considering that there are over 500 million WhatsApp users in India, the ministry expects this initiative to result in a notable uptick in complaints.”

Queries emailed to the consumer affairs secretary and ministry spokesperson did not elicit any response till press time.

“As of now, about 200 individuals have joined the channel, and we are working to ensure that every consumer subscribes to it. This way, they will be able to access all the information regarding their rights,” the second person said.

“The channel will feature messages from celebrities to raise consumer awareness about their rights. Additionally, tutorials will be available to help consumers register their complaints,” he added.

It’s a commendable initiative to raise consumer awareness by harnessing the potential of the digital medium, said Ashim Sanyal, chief executive, Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education (VOICE). “WhatsApp has become a common platform for interaction, and using it for spreading notices, orders, guidelines, etc., will help in empowering consumers,” he added.

As part of its initiatives for the World Consumer Rights Day on 15 March, the ministry also launched a dedicated portal for the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA). With this initiative, it seeks to clamp down on violations of advertising guidelines by providing a platform to publicly identify violators, and holding them accountable.

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) was established under the Consumer Protection Act 2019 to oversee issues related to consumer rights violations, unfair trade practices, and false advertisements.

India’s consumer protection framework has undergone significant improvements. The Consumer Protection Act of 1986 was replaced by the Consumer Protection Act of 2019 to modernize regulations in response to globalization, technological advancements, and the rise of e-commerce.

The CCPA is also preparing to combat unwanted promotional calls originating from unregistered phone numbers, with plans to take strict action against offending service providers.

According to its plan, punitive action may be initiated against telecom service providers, individuals, and non-compliant entities responsible for pesky calls, representing a significant stride towards holding telecom companies accountable for privacy infringements and consumer rights violations.

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