According to Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh, the government would release frameworks the next week to combat fake reviews and unverified star ratings on e-commerce websites, and hotel and travel booking platforms.
Consumers largely rely on reviews placed on platforms to see the opinions and experiences of people who have already purchased the goods or services because e-commerce only allows for a virtual shopping experience without the chance to physically inspect or check the thing.
However, fake reviews and star ratings deceive customers into purchasing goods and services online.
According to Singh, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) has finalised guidelines to prevent fake reviews after researching the current system used by Indian e-commerce companies and best practices from around the world.
“After consultation with stakeholders, we have finalised frameworks to counter fake reviews. The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) has also come out with a standard. The frameworks for fake review management will be published next week,” he told.
He anticipated that India would be the first nation to create frameworks for managing fake reviews.
“Initially, it will be voluntary and gradually will be made mandatory,” he added.
E-commerce company stakeholders have asserted that they have frameworks in place for detecting fraudulent reviews.
