The Indian government is gearing up to provide significant relief to telecom subscribers with new measures aimed at curbing unsolicited commercial messages. Released by the Consumer Affairs Ministry, the draft guidelines are poised to address the pervasive issue of incessant spam messages that plague countless users across the country, often originating from scammers and fraudsters. Seeking public feedback until July 21, these guidelines are a proactive step towards safeguarding consumer interests.Consultations with stakeholders, including telecom companies and regulators, informed the formulation of these guidelines. They delineate business communication as encompassing messages related to goods or services, such as promotions and service updates, but excluding personal communications. The guidelines will be applicable to individuals and entities engaging in or benefiting from such communications, marking a concerted effort to respect user consent and preferences.Under the draft guidelines, any business communication will be deemed unsolicited and unwanted if it contravenes the recipients consent or registered preferences. Conditions rendering a communication unauthorised include using unregistered numbers or SMS headers, persisting with calls despite opt-outs, lacking digital consent, failing to identify the caller and purpose, and omitting an opt-out option.Furthermore, the proposals align with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) rules governing commercial messages based on customer preferences. While TRAIs regulations have been effective for registered telemarketers since 2018, concerns persist about unregistered marketers exploiting private 10-digit numbers to circumvent restrictions. Despite the success of the Do Not Disturb (DND) registry for registered marketers, unauthorised and intrusive communication remains a challenge.The governments commitment to safeguarding consumer interests and rights is underscored by these draft guidelines, signalling a proactive stance against intrusive and unauthorised marketing practices. The overarching objective is to empower consumers and ensure a more respectful and compliant communication landscape in the burgeoning digital realm.
