France investigates Shein, some rivals over underage access to porn content

PARIS – Online retail platforms Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish are being investigated in France for alleged rule breaches that include minors being able to access pornographic content via their marketplaces, the Paris prosecutor said on Nov 4.

China’s Shein opened its

first-ever permanent shop

in the BHV department store in central Paris on Nov 5, but French Finance Minister Roland Lescure threatened a countrywide ban of the brand after a consumer watchdog spotted child-like sex dolls sold on its marketplace.

Shein spokesman for France Quentin Ruffat told RMC radio the company would do everything in its power to collaborate with the investigation, including sharing the names of vendors and buyers of the dolls that it has now banned.

Mr Ruffat later told BFM TV that the dolls had been on sale since Oct 16.

“We are in the process of sacking all the offending vendors from the platform,” he said.

AliExpress told Reuters similar listings have been removed from its site, and that sellers who violate the platform’s policies will be penalised.

A Temu spokesman said the accusations against the company were connected to minors accessing certain products on its platform.

Temu was not being investigated over child pornography allegations, the spokesperson said, adding that the company does not allow the sale of child-like sex dolls, nor does it have any on its platform.

Wish did not respond to a request for comment.

The Paris prosecutor’s office said it received a complaint from the consumer watchdog known as DGCCRF and referred the case to the National Office for Minors to investigate.

The companies are being investigated on suspicion of disseminating violent, pornographic or degrading messages accessible to minors, which can lead to up to three years in prison and a fine of €75,000 (S$113,000) for individuals involved, the office said.

Shein and AliExpress are also being investigated over the alleged dissemination of images or representations of minors of a pornographic nature, which can lead to five years in prison and a fine of €75,000, the prosecutor’s office said.

Shein pulled the dolls from its website on Nov 2, and on Nov 3

imposed a total ban

on sex dolls and suspended the “adult products” category on its platform. REUTERS