CCPA Fines Meta, Amazon, Flipkart ₹44 Lakh for Illegal Walkie-Talkie Sales

• The CCPA imposed penalties totaling ₹44 lakh on 13 e-commerce entities, including Meta, Amazon, and Flipkart, for selling unauthorized walkie-talkies.
• Platforms facilitated sales of Personal Mobile Radios (PMRs) operating outside license-exempt frequency bands and without Equipment Type Approval (ETA) certification.
• Violations included selling devices in the Ultra High Frequency (UHF) band, used by emergency services, often marketed as “license-free” or toys.
• The CCPA rejected the intermediary defense, stating platforms must exercise due diligence and cannot be passive conduits for regulated products.
• New guidelines mandate verification of frequency compliance, ETA certification, full disclosure of licensing, and automated monitoring to prevent illegal sales.

Why It Matters: CCPA penalizes e-commerce giants for illegal walkie-talkie sales, emphasizing platform accountability and new compliance rules.