CCPA fines Meta, Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho ₹10 lakh each for illegal walkie-talkie sales

Core Viewpoint - The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against e-commerce platforms for selling unauthorized walkie-talkies, imposing penalties totaling ₹44 lakh for violations of the Consumer Protection Act and telecom laws [1][4]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions - CCPA issued notices to 13 e-commerce entities, identifying over 16,970 non-compliant product listings across platforms [2]. - Final orders were issued against eight entities, with penalties of ₹10 lakh imposed on Meesho, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart, and Amazon, and ₹1 lakh on Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, and MaskMan Toys [4]. - Platforms were found facilitating the sale of Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) without proper licensing and certification [3][5]. Group 2: Violations and Findings - Major violations included Flipkart selling 65,931 units with incorrect frequency disclosures and Amazon selling 2,602 units lacking proper certification details [6][7]. - JioMart and Facebook Marketplace also had significant non-compliance issues, with Facebook Marketplace having 710 listings delisted after CCPA intervention [7][8]. - Talk Pro was found listing devices falsely claiming to be legal, while Chimiya offered unauthorized walkie-talkies imported without approvals [9]. Group 3: Platform Responsibilities - CCPA rejected the intermediary defense used by several platforms, stating that they cannot be treated as passive conduits for regulated products [10][11]. - The authority emphasized that intermediary protections require effective due diligence and do not apply when platforms allow non-compliant listings [12]. Group 4: New Guidelines and Compliance - CCPA has notified new guidelines for the prevention and regulation of illegal listings of radio equipment, mandating verification of frequency compliance and ETA certification prior to listing [13][14]. - E-commerce platforms are directed to conduct self-audits, publish audit certificates, and strengthen compliance mechanisms to prevent deceptive listings [15]. Group 5: Security Concerns - CCPA warned that unauthorized radio communication devices could interfere with critical national communication networks, posing risks to public order and national security [16][17].