CCPA issues 13 notices to digital marketplaces against listing, sale of walkie-talkies

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) on Friday issued 13 notices to leading digital marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and OLX against the listing and sale of walkie-talkies on their platforms without proper frequency disclosure, licensing information, or Equipment Type Approval (ETA).

Walkie-talkies are being sold on e-commerce platforms without mandatory and clear disclosures regarding the requirement of a wireless operating license or compliance with applicable laws, according to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

A preliminary analysis further revealed an alarming volume of such listings across these platforms, including approximately 467 listings on Amazon, 314 on Flipkart, 489 on Meesho, and 423 on TradeIndia, indicating the widespread scale of the issue.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the sale of non-compliant wireless devices not only breaches statutory obligations but may also pose significant risks to national security operations.

“All sellers are required to strictly adhere to applicable regulatory standards to uphold consumer rights and prevent unlawful trade practices,” the minister posted on X social media platform.

These platforms include Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, OLX, TradeIndia, Facebook, Indiamart, VardaanMart, Jiomart, Krishnamart, Chimiya, Talk Pro Walie Talkie and MaskMan toys.

The product listings for walkie-talkies do not specify whether the device requires a license from the concerned authority for use.

“The omission of details such as frequency range, licensing obligations under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, or the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Use of Low Power, Very Low Power Short Range Radio Frequency Devices (Exemption from Licensing Requirement) Rules, 2018 and the potential legal consequences of unauthorized use, misleads consumers into believing that the devices are freely operable by the general public,” said the ministry.

Furthermore, the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020 require marketplace e-commerce entities to provide clear and accessible information that enables consumers to make informed decisions at the pre-purchase stage.

The sale of non-compliant wireless devices in the absence of essential regulatory disclosures misleads consumers and represents a serious breach of statutory obligations.

The Central authority observed that several platforms were allowing the sale of walkie-talkies without clearly specifying the frequency range; without valid Equipment Type Approval (ETA) from the Wireless Planning and Coordination (WPC) Wing; and Without proper disclosure of licensing requirements to consumers.

Therefore, the Central Authority has requested information regarding the name and contact details of each seller, product URLs and listing IDs of the walkie-talkie devices, details of frequency specifications and any licensing information displayed on the listings, whether ETA/WPC certification details have been collected or verified for these products; and the number of units sold per listing from January 2023 to date.

Further, in view of the rampant non-adherence to existing legal provisions by e-commerce entities, the CCPA has found it imperative to issue specific guidelines to ensure compliance with the law and safeguard consumer interests.

--IANS

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