The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) revealed last Friday (21) the results of an inspection carried out on e-commerce websites, focusing on ads for cell phones without official certification or that entered the country illegally. The action is part of a new precautionary measure published by the agency to combat piracy.
According to the report, Amazon and Mercado Livre showed the worst statistics. On Amazon, 51.52% of cell phone listings were for non-approved products, while on Mercado Livre this number reached 42.86%. Both companies were classified as "non-compliant" and must remove the irregular ads, under penalty of fines and possible removal of the websites.
Other companies, such as Lojas Americanas (22.86%) and Grupo Casas Bahia (7.79%), were considered "partially compliant" and will also need to make adjustments. On the other hand, Magazine Luiza did not record any illegal advertisements, being classified as "compliant". Shopee and Carrefour, although without disclosed percentages, were listed as "compliant" for having already made commitments with Anatel.
The president of Anatel, Carlos Baigorri, highlighted that negotiations with e-commerce companies have been ongoing for about four years. He specifically criticized Amazon and Mercado Livre for not engaging in the collaborative process.
The inspection took place between June 1st and 7th, using a scanning tool with 95% accuracy. Anatel announced that, after focusing on cell phones, the agency will investigate other products sold illegally without approval.
The precautionary measure published today aims to give companies another opportunity to comply with the regulations, starting with mobile phones. Anatel emphasized that other companies, besides the seven largest retailers mentioned, are also subject to the same requirements.