Consumers use the internet to manage finances, to collect market information, and to buy products and services from all over the world, online consumption has become a trend in the digital age. Meanwhile, protection of consumers using this kind of new service, and the consumer rights of this kind of transaction have become a major issue of consumer organizations worldwide.
2017 Annual Theme: Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust
Consumer International (CI) announced the theme of this year’s ‘World Consumers Rights Day’ on 15th March 2017 as ‘Building a Digital World Consumers Can Trust’, and called on consumer organizations worldwide to raise awareness around the world.
The internet involves issues such as security and claims
According to the CI, the development of internet services enable consumers to get access to information more quickly and easily, thus making more, and better choices, however, the consumer rights involved during this development, which includes the fairness and safety of consumers using these services, security of the payment platform, privacy of personal information, etc., relate to a series of problems such as the right to claim of consumers and how they can claim; all these brought challenges to works on consumer rights and consumer protection, and to governments worldwide when establishing regulations on the development of digital technology.
CI calls upon the building of a digital economic environment with confidence
The CI points out that in this age of rapid developments in digital technology, the co-operation between global consumer organizations and governments to tackle the boundaryless characteristics of the internet is essential to building a thriving and trusted digital economy where consumers can benefit.
The CI has a list of working plans, and calls on countries worldwide to work together and set a standard for enhancing consumers’ confidence and rights in online shopping, these include consumers’ access to an affordable, good quality and reliable internet connection, consumers’ access to accurate and meaningful information that enables them to choose digital providers, products and services in a competitive market, the building of a secure online environment for transaction and privacy, etc., and requiring business operators to take greater responsibility in solving consumers’ problems.
Through global co-operation, the CI aims to build a flourishing digital economy with accountability where both consumers and businesses can benefit from.
Consumer Council strengthens work on consumer protection
The CI is an independent and non-governmental organization, with over 200 Member organizations in over 100 countries, Macao Consumer Council became an official member of the CI in 1997.
The Consumer Council pays attention to issues such as online shopping and the relevant consumer rights, consumer education work has been carried out in recent years to teach consumers the right concept, information, and methods of online shopping. Meanwhile, the Council is considering to expand its ‘Certified Shop’ mechanism by including online shops as ‘Certified Shops’.
Safeguarding online consumption became theme of the year of the Mainland
China Consumers Association has named “Network Integrity, Worry-free Consumption” theme of the year. The Association interprets the connotation of the theme: 1) To strengthen the sense of responsibility of network operators; 2) To establish and improve systems for the protection of the rights and interests of consumers in terms of the right to know, right of claim, trading right and security right of network consumers; 3) To organize social supervision and act as a bridge, to build a platform for social co-governance of network consumer protection, to build close network community with a common future, and to construct a guaranteed network consumption environment.