HIBAPRESS – Rabat
The digital space in Morocco is witnessing a new phenomenon that has raised the concern of bodies interested in consumer rights, after the emergence of pages and accounts on social media that present themselves as specialized in psychological treatment.
In this context, Ali Chtour, president of the Moroccan Association for the Defense of Consumer Rights, said that the providers of these services are "imposters of the profession and do not have any academic training or legal accreditation." Chtour added in a statement to the "HIBAPRESS" newspaper, that what is happening poses a direct threat to the safety of the Moroccan consumer and their mental health, stressing that a number of parties exploit the fragility of citizens to achieve illicit financial gains, in violation of Law No. 31.08 regarding consumer protection, which guarantees the right to receive safe services and prevents all forms of misinformation and deception. Chtour, a member of the Moroccan University of Consumer Rights, explained that the practice of psychological treatment is subject to strict professional and ethical conditions, which can only be met by accredited specialists who have clear academic qualifications and specific professional standards, warning of the danger of what he described as random practices that may leave serious psychological damage. Chtour considered that the situation calls for immediate intervention from the competent and regulatory authorities to stop this path that is expanding without legal barriers, while at the same time calling on digital platforms to take responsibility for controlling digital content and advertisements that promote fake psychological treatment services by unqualified people. Chtour also called on consumers to carefully investigate the professional and scientific qualifications of any person who presents themselves as a therapist or psychologist before resorting to their services, considering that mental health is a very sensitive human matter, and should not be turned into an area for trading or tampering, stressing that protecting the citizen remains a common priority and a national duty that requires the concerted efforts of everyone.
