Consumer awareness is key to a sustainable and secure digital experience: Pralhad Joshi

Pralhad Joshi along with Mr. Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer, Meta announced a new collaboration ‘Be an Empowered Consumer’ to empower consumers through digital literacy initiatives under the government’s flagship consumer awareness campaign ‘Jago Grahak Jago’.

Speaking at the launch of the partnership, Shri Joshi said, “We are pleased to partner with Meta on this crucial initiative to equip citizens with the knowledge and tools that will enable them to navigate the digital landscape and protect themselves online.”

“Consumer awareness is key to a sustainable and secure digital experience and the campaign will strengthen consumer protection measures and reinforce our commitment to empowering Indian consumers,” he added.

Shri Joshi emphasised that with the collaboration, the efforts of Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, towards consumer protection will reach to the remote areas of the country.

The joint campaign ‘Be an Empowered Consumer’ seeks to educate Indians on recognizing online threats and promoting healthy online habits, including the use of strong passwords, verification of online information, and reporting suspicious activity. This was discussed in a meeting before the launch.  

During the meeting, the Union Minister was also apprised about a joint project commissioned with IIT Bombay by the chair established by the Department at the National Law School of India University Bangalore, and supported by Meta.  The project explores the feasibility of leveraging Llama 2, Meta’s openly available large language model, in creating a citizen-centric chatbot: GrahakNyay. The chatbot will enhance access to consumer rights information, a robust grievance redressal tool that will help individuals file complaints and resolve queries more efficiently. The chatbot is now ready for a closed group beta testing and will be officially launched and integrated into DoCA’s website once its testing is complete.

Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, present while addressing the event, said that the government remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding and safeguarding consumer rights. To make this commitment effective, it is important that consumers are aware of online threats and are able to perceive the unethical business practices, she said. Also, having right to have their grievances heard and addressed is essential for fostering accountability, transparency, and fairness. The chatbox will make it possible through the process of seamless complaint filing and resolution of queries, she stated.

Mr. Joel Kaplan, Chief Global Affairs Officer, Meta during the event said, “With technology progressing so quickly, it can be hard for people to stay up to date with the best ways to keep themselves safe online, which is why we’re pleased to work with the Department of Consumer Affairs and contribute to India’s digital consumer protection efforts. At Meta we think AI can help people protect themselves and be informed online consumers. By making AI more accessible, we hope to improve consumer awareness, streamline redressal processes, and equip people with the knowledge they need to make informed choices online.”