The DTI will have the authority to shut down problematic e-commerce websites thanks to the Internet Transactions Act.
It is about time they do it because it costs a lot of traffic and sellers just want to sell online.
With the proposed Internet Transactions Act, Senate Bill No. 1846, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will have the authority to shut down problematic e-commerce websites.
Sen. Mark Villar, who is also the chairman of the Committee on Trade, Commerce, and Entrepreneurship, is the author of the legislation. By establishing a new Electronic Commerce (eCommerce) Bureau, the proposed law seeks to protect both online merchants and consumers.
One of the most important provisions of the bill, in Villar's opinion, is that foreign businesses and other entities must register in the Philippines, particularly with the DTI. This implies that information about them will be accessible in the event that their users need to find them.
The proposed law will also grant the DTI the authority to dissolve entities if necessary.
“Should the site or should the seller not be able to accommodate (consumers’ concerns), there’s a power now that with DTI, under the new eCommerce Bureau, that will allow it (DTI) to either shut down the site or give penalties,” the author said.
Online platforms can be held liable if they fail to address consumer concerns and fail to exercise ordinary diligence.