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CCPA fines Meta, Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho Rs 10 lakh each for illegal walkie-talkie sales
The Economic Times· 2026-01-16 04:28
Core Viewpoint - The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has taken action against multiple e-commerce platforms for selling unauthorized walkie-talkies, imposing penalties totaling Rs 44 lakh and issuing notices to 13 entities for violations of consumer rights and telecom laws [14]. Group 1: Violations and Penalties - Penalties of Rs 10 lakh were imposed on Meesho, Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook Marketplace), Flipkart, and Amazon, while Rs 1 lakh penalties were imposed on Chimiya, JioMart, Talk Pro, and MaskMan Toys for misleading advertisements and unfair trade practices [2][14]. - Major violations included the sale of 65,931 units on Flipkart with incorrect frequency disclosures and 2,602 units on Amazon lacking proper certification details [3][14]. Group 2: Regulatory Compliance - The CCPA found that platforms were facilitating the sale of Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) operating outside the license-exempt frequency band without Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification [14]. - New guidelines have been notified to enhance platform accountability, mandating verification of frequency compliance and full disclosure of licensing requirements before listing [9][10]. Group 3: Platform Responsibilities - The CCPA rejected the intermediary defense claimed by several platforms, stating that they cannot be treated as passive conduits when facilitating the listing of regulated products [7][8]. - E-commerce platforms are required to conduct self-audits to ensure compliance and publish audit certificates online [11]. Group 4: Security Concerns - The CCPA warned that unauthorized radio communication devices could interfere with critical national communication networks, posing risks to public order and national security [12][13].