IT/Technology Consumer Protection Ideas?

[yma981]

Hello

Wikipedia defines consumer protection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_protection) as "Consumer protection laws are designed to ensure fair competition and the free flow of truthful information in the marketplace. The laws are designed to prevent businesses that engage in fraud or specified unfair practices from gaining an advantage over competitors and may provide additional protection for the weak and those unable to take care of themselves. Consumer Protection laws are a form of government regulation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regulation) which protects the interests of consumers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer)." etc... Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_protection

I have been assigned as an IT/Technology Expert in the Consumer protection directorate in order to put a IT/Technology consumer protection Plan and an overall update of the systems and procedures undertaking this task.

I am writing here to ask you to help me leverage some ideas and suggestions that facilitate this task especially because there aren't any predefined plans/ideas and that we should build these from ground up.

It would be wonderful and thoughtful of you if you help me gathering some suggestions that clarifies and clearly defines the issue at hands.

Thank you
Regards

[hansdown]

In which country are you located yma981?

[yma981]

In which country are you located yma981?

I don't see the relevance...

[hansdown]

O.k.

It's hard to give help, if the laws are different in your location.

I say no more.

[NovaAesa]

If you're not willing to supply which country you are in, there's not much of a chance that anyone will be able to help.

[yma981]

Don't worry there aren't much laws governing the IT/Technology consumer protection in my country, most probably we will make them with the help of a Law expert and we as the cpd will begin to enforce them in the market. Yes there are Laws governing trade in general but not specific to the IT/Tech Domain. That is the reason I asked for your help and ideas.

[samjh]

Why do you avoid the question of what country you're working for? Are you afraid that your superiors will find out you're soliciting random people from an Internet forum?

What I find strange from the first moment I set eyes on your post is, why would a person appropriately qualified and experienced in consumer protection policy-making attempt to gather "ideas" from a bunch of random people on the Internet who likely have nowhere near the amount of expertise that you allegedly should have?

Shouldn't you be talking to consumer advocacy groups? Lawyers? Judges? IT businesses? Competition regulators? Market analysts?

People I've seen who are appointed as experts in government policy advisory roles usually have several degree qualifications and many years of experience in the relevant policy areas, and never solicit ideas in this haphazard fashion.

Am I jumping the gun? Please provide the specifics: legal jurisdiction, including country, your specific role, and the current state of consumer protections in the IT industry in your jurisdiction. That is the only way you'll even be able to begin getting intelligent ideas.

[yma981]

I consider the Linux/open source community to be one of the most enlightened in the IT and Technological domains and in addition to its friendliness, openness, proactiveness and its ingenuity towards problem solving.

I think a consumer is a consumer everywhere whether in China, Mexico, Zimbabwe or The Netherlands and needs protection everywhere.

I don't see why a location should be revealed in order for you to accept helping with the the issue at hands?

Anyway, I dearly appreciate any idea from anyone.

Please don't waste your time if you feel i didn't provide enough information for you in order to tackle this general topic.

Thank you