As per a notice issued by the Consumer Affairs Ministry, a meeting has been called on May 15 seeking the presence of e-commerce companies and organisations who are engaged in publishing online reviews for consultation in order to check fake reviews.
According to media reports, the Ministry proposed an Online Consumer Reviews (Quality Control) Order requiring platforms to accept reviews only from verified purchasers and users.
As per QCO (Quality Control Order), organisations should not publish reviews that lack authenticity or have been purchased, or written by individuals hired by suppliers, or third parties etc.
QCO also prevents platforms from rewarding consumers based on content, editing reviews, and preventing the showcase of negative reviews. This extends to platforms not accepting reviews from individuals who haven’t purchased or used the product or service.