Hyderabad: Online shoppers resent 'self-selection' options

Hyderabad: After the pandemic changed 'our' normalcy from hands to screens, netizens on a large scale have adopted online shopping as a part of their lives. But, after exploring the options in online sites, they are finding it disappointing and illegal to keep the options like "donate a smile, pay for driver, auto renewal and others," already selected.

"It is our choice to select if we want to donate or not, but the website of any company need not to show auto selected options. It all looks like a scam and disappointing", say netizens from Hyderabad.

Social activist and anti-corruption fighter Vijay Gopal from the city took the issue to twitter and wrote: "It is illegal to keep the option of selection on behalf of the consumers as per the Consumer Protection Act 2020." He urged Telangana Consumer Commission and consumers to book websites for exploitation. His tweet reads: "Dear @bookmyshow u need to stop this illegal action of self-selection of options on behalf of consumers.

It is illegal as per Consumer Protection Act 2020. @TS Consumers pls book them under powers u hv now n put an end to this. U all @makemytrip @goibibo need to stop too."

Netizens claim that the option is for them to choose. "Many of us having minimal time don't check the selections in a hurry and we donate unknowingly. I am not against donation, but I need the freedom to choose my donation if I am really willing to do it and not anyone can auto select on behalf of me," said Abhay Joshi, a social activist of Hyderabad. Another netizen R K Kumar tweets thus: "Dear @bookmyshow you are already charging us Internet handling fee when we book tickets through the app, and enable GiftASmile by default, which any how reflects as YOU had donated it, for which you get exception as well. This is double cheating."

Not only movies and food applications, most insurance companies auto select the option of communication through WhatsApp in the name of giving insurance quote, which is also illegal, claim activists.

Avinash was sarcastic that "who knows, this "donate a smile" can be used to get tax exemptions for bookmyshow . internet handling charge is high. Can't be high taking the advantage." "Goibibo is expert in all such activities. They are expert in exploiting customers," tweeted Abhi.