🔗 Share this article

E-commerce platforms featuring these four major platforms are now under investigation in France for the charge of enabling minors to access adult content on their services, the Paris prosecutor announced on Tuesday.

The country's consumer protection agency had brought to light the companies to the legal authorities on this past Sunday after raising concerns about the marketing of youth-resembling intimate products on their online marketplace during the weekend.

The Paris prosecutor's office noted that the websites are being looked into over graphic, adult or unacceptable material that can be accessed by underage users.

One of the platforms commented that it considers the situation very seriously. Shein, Temu and Wish have also been approached for a statement.

Broader Inquiries and Company Statements

Shein and AliExpress are furthermore under investigation over the dissemination of content involving children that are of a pornographic nature, the authorities said.

The cases have been handed over to Paris' Office des Mineurs, the legal body noted. This unit is an arm of the national police that oversees the protection of young people.

The platform commented that the listings in concern breached its guidelines and were deleted once it learned of them.

"Merchants discovered to flout or seeking to circumvent these requirements will be sanctioned in line with our regulations," the platform stated in a official comment.

On this Monday, the company confirmed it had banned the marketing of any intimate products on its platform globally. The headquartered in Singapore company also stated that it would ban indefinitely all merchant IDs associated with the illegal transaction of the youth-resembling products and set tighter safeguards on its platform.

Agency Observations and Wider Background

The national consumer agency, the consumer protection directorate, had stated that the products' description and classification left "minimal uncertainty as to the illicit character" of the items.

The examination of Shein comes as the firm, which was established in China, gets ready for the launch on Wednesday of its inaugural long-term real-world outlet in France.

Protesters have been observed collected in outside the French capital department store where the company is scheduled to open the outlet.

The retailer intends to open stores in further France's shopping centers in urban centers like Dijon, Reims and Angers.