USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN ONLINE DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Abstract

Since quite some time, there has been a significant digital transition taking place, and technology is now part of our daily life. It has also infiltrated the area of consumer policy, where it is promoted to utilise technology to settle consumer disputes. A significant portion of consumer transactions now occur online as technology takes over. This has led to a rapid increase in disagreements and disputes, which cannot be avoided even if all parties behave with good faith. Since the majority of these are for low-value goods and services, consumers have little motivation to spend time and money on court cases or other frequently time- and money- consuming out-of-court settlement processes. In order for consumers to actively use their rights, the usage of online forums to settle such issues is being promoted. Online Dispute Resolution Mechanisms are those processes that use software and technology to settle conflicts. In the West, national authorities are creating open Online Dispute Resolution forums to settle minor conflicts, and it is getting more and more popular. Nevertheless, while growing in popularity, the mechanism faces a number of dangers and difficulties. These include a lack of understanding of the function of online platforms that offer such mechanisms and a lack of consumer awareness and trust. Therefore, it is crucial to address these difficulties before online conflict resolution techniques replace or take over traditional dispute resolution mechanisms in order to increase the system's dependability and accessibility for users.