Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) Issues 13 Notices to E-Commerce Platforms Over Illegal Sale of Licensed Frequency Wireless Devices (Walkie-Talkies)

The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued thirteen notices to leading digital marketplaces against the listing and sale of walkie-talkies on e-commerce platforms without proper frequency disclosure, licensing information, or Equipment Type Approval (ETA) which constitutes a violation of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.

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

Walkie-talkies are being sold one-commerce platforms without mandatory and clear disclosures regarding the requirement of a wireless operating license or compliance with applicable laws. 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.

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: