IT Rules Amendments: Users Of Ecommerce Platforms, Dating Sites Can Approach GACs

With the amendments to IT Rules, 2021, coming into effect, matrimonial websites, online dating sites, ecommerce platforms, online classified ad platforms will also need to be more mindful of consumer grievances as users will reportedly be able to take their complaints to the grievance appellate committees (GACs).

In cases related to harassment, dating sites or matrimonial websites were slow to act upon the complaints or in some cases didn’t respond at all. “With the new rules, the grievance officers of the companies will need to react fast, or else a user will have the right to take them to the Grievance Appellate Committees for redressal,” Times Of India quoted a government source as saying.

Until now, the discussions on the amended rules have been largely around the major social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook. However, other online platforms, where users have a big role to play but do not have robust redressal mechanisms, also fall under the ambit of the rules.

In case of consumer complaints to GACs, the companies would have to follow the order or approach high courts if the consumer wins a reprieve. The GACs’ decisions will get more weightage in the courts as well, and the companies may even face a blocking order if they refuse to take action, the source was quoted as saying.

For ecommerce platforms, a user or a citizen will be able to approach the GACs on finding that any item being sold on the platform is unethical or illegal. Citizens whose contact is being shared without consent or in a wrong context on classified ad platforms can also appeal to the GACs.

Interestingly, the government may also bring penalties if it is not satisfied with the response of the companies, Minister of State for IT and Electronics Rajeev Chandrasekhar was quoted as saying.

“The option always remains open. But we will first analyse how the companies respond to the new rules,” he said.

He also added that the government receives many complaints where the consumers have not seen appropriate action from the companies. The government decided to go ahead with GACs as the consumer platforms were not taking note of the user grievances.

Recently, talking about the amendments, Chandrasekhar also said that the government aims to make the internet open, safe, and trusted, and the internet can’t be party to deliberate misinformation. The government notified the amendments to IT Rules, 2021 on Friday.

As per the amended rules, the government will form one or more centrally appointed Grievance Appellate Committees (GACs) within three months of the notification to hear complaints from the users of the online platforms.

“The Central Government shall, by notification, establish one or more Grievance Appellate Committees within three months from the date of commencement of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2022,” the notification said.