Vartotojų teisių apsauga elektroninėje erdvėje (elektroninėje komercijoje)

Abstract

Recent trends clearly indicate that the internet is rapidly transforming into global online marketplace, where business and consumers readily and directly enter into contracts, purchase, sell and sometimes even deliver goods and services, as well as settle accounts. The internet allows instanta¬neous, inexpensive and global means to exchange large amounts of information. It opens new global markets for traditional goods and services, also allows completely new electronic (e.g. electronic music) or personalized goods and services (e.g. on demand services). As long as the individual has access to internet, he may be in position to interact with others, receive many goods and services, have access to knowledge, participate in decision making, contribute to the social collaboration, regardless of his/her physical abilities or geographical location. These features of the internet enable new quality dimension into democratic and socio-economic development. On the other hand the internet poses new challenges and threats to the consumers, making the protection of the online consumer a special and important issue. Online consumer policy shall be first of all based on traditional consumer policy instruments. Specific rules and means are necessary only in order to deal with very specific online risks. Online consumer policy undertakes an important task of both faci1itating the transparent and efficient electronic commerce, as well as not impeding the development thereof. All commercial dealing online is usually referred to as electronic commerce. Electronic commerce shares most of the features of the internet itself - it is inherently global, accessible at any internet terminal, is efficient and cost effective.