On-line retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Want are being investigated in France in relation to the offence of enabling minors to entry pornographic content material on their platforms, the Paris prosecutor stated on Tuesday.
The nation’s shopper watchdog had reported the 4 corporations to the prosecution service on Sunday after elevating issues in regards to the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein’s platform over the weekend.
The Paris prosecutor’s workplace informed the BBC that the platforms are being investigated over violent, pornographic or “undignified messages” that may be accessed by minors.
The BBC has contacted the businesses for remark.
Shein and AliExpress are additionally underneath investigation over the dissemination of content material associated to youngsters which are of a pornographic nature, the workplace stated.
The instances have been referred to Paris’ Workplace des Mineurs, which oversees the safety of minors, the prosecution service added.
On Monday, Shein stated it had banned the sale of all sex dolls on its platform worldwide. The Singapore-based retailer additionally stated that it will completely block all vendor accounts associated to the unlawful sale of the childlike dolls and set stricter controls on its platform.
The French shopper watchdog, the Directorate Basic for Competitors, Shopper Affairs and Fraud Management, had stated the intercourse dolls’ description and categorisation left “little doubt as to the kid pornography nature” of the merchandise.
The scrutiny of Shein comes as the corporate, which was based in China, prepares for the opening on Wednesday of its first everlasting bodily outlet in France .
Protesters have been seen gathered in entrance of the Paris division retailer the place Shein is about to open the outlet.
Shein plans to open outlets in other French department stores in cities together with Dijon, Reims and Angers.
