How to Protect Consumer Rights in the Digital World

Ram Vilas Paswan, India’s Minister of Consumer Affairs, launched Thursday an integrated portal for consumer services on the occasion of World Consumer Rights Day.

The Minister emphasized the key consumer rights such as safety, information, choice, complaint lodging and grievances redressal. Paswan said that consumers have all the right to get information about what they are spending on.

World Consumer Rights Day 2018 with the theme of “Making Digital Markets Fairer” was organized by the Department of Consumer Affairs in New Delhi on Thursday.

While addressing the gathering, Paswan said that government is on the right track in enabling the consumers to harness the full benefits of digitization and putting in place adequate safeguards against risks associated with the electronic world.

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He stressed on the fact that digital literacy and financial literacy should go hand in hand so that in a cashless economy envisioned by the government, consumers are skilled enough to confidently use digital payment system and various financial products.

Paswan called for appropriate education and awareness programmes that are rightly targeted and evaluated to ensure that they address specific consumer needs and the needs of disadvantaged or marginalized groups.

Digital education and awareness programmes need to support consumers to develop the skills and confidence to be able to manage risks and opportunities, make informed choices, know how to get assistance and advice and take action to protect and improve their well-being and identity online, the Minister suggested.

He also asked companies to develop systems to make it easier for consumers to understand risks and opportunities for their products and services online.

Photo courtesy: Press Information Bureau