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Centre To Soon Release Framework For Social Media Influencers- Know About The Proposed Guidelines
Writer: Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
India, 8 Sep 2022 8:35 AM GMT
Editor : Snehadri Sarkar |
While he is a massive sports fanatic, his interest also lies in mainstream news and nitpicking trending and less talked about everyday issues.
Creatives : Shiva Chaudhary
A post-graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication with relevant skills, specialising in content editing & writing. I believe in the precise dissemination of information based on facts to the public.
The social media influencers with a large audience on social media platforms endorse products after charging fees from the brands. Similarly, giving fake reviews misleads customers into purchasing online products and services.
The central government is planning to shortly release guidelines for social media influencers that would mandate them to declare their association with the products they endorse, sources revealed.
An official informed Press Trust of India (PTI), "The Department of Consumer Affairs is coming out with guidelines on social media influencers. It is creating dos and don'ts for them," reported NDTV.
Proposed Guidelines For Social Media Influencers
The social media influencers with a large audience on social media platforms such as Instagram are endorsing products after charging fees from the brands; sources told PTI.
According to the proposed guidelines, if social media influencers endorse a brand's product after taking payments, they will have to disclose their association with that brand.
These influencers will be required to put disclaimers in such endorsement posts. The guidelines are expected to be released within the coming 15 days.
Fake Reviews On E-Commerce Websites
Further, the department has concluded the process of developing a framework to constrain fake reviews posted on different e-commerce websites and will be released soon.
Earlier this year, in May, the department with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) conducted a virtual meeting with stakeholders, including e-commerce establishments, to discuss the extent of fake reviews on their platforms.
Here's How Fake Reviews Affect Consumers
Since e-commerce concerns a virtual shopping experience without any opportunity to view or examine the product physically, customers are heavily dependent on reviews posted on platforms to see the experiences and opinions of users who have already purchased the good or service. The fake reviews mislead customers into purchasing online products and services.
Following this, the department decided to develop these frameworks after examining the current mechanism carried out by e-commerce entities in India and the global best practices.
Rohit Kumar Singh, the Consumer Affairs Secretary, said, "Traceability by ensuring the authenticity of the reviewer and the associated liability of the platform are the two key issues here. Also, e-commerce players must disclose as to how they choose the 'most relevant reviews' for display in a fair and transparent manner."
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