Irish body to assist EU probe into Shein over sale of 'child-like sex dolls'

Coimisiún na Mean will be assisting in the investigation, as Shein has its EU headquarters based in Dublin, with the Irish regulator separately seeking information from the company on issues such as the accessibility of its service to minors and measures to prevent children from purchasing age-inappropriate products.

“In the EU, illegal products are prohibited – whether they are on a store shelf or on an online marketplace,” the EU’s tech chief Henna Virkkunen said.

“The Digital Services Act keeps shoppers safe, protects their wellbeing and empowers them with information about the algorithms they are interacting with. We will assess whether Shein is respecting these rules and their responsibility.” 

In outlining the investigation, the European Commission said it would focus on three areas, including the systems it has in place to limit the sale of illegal products in the EU.

This includes “content which could constitute child sexual abuse material such as child-like sex dolls,” it said.

Furthermore, it said that addictive features on Shein could have a negative impact on users’ wellbeing and consumer protection online, highlighting how it gives consumers points or rewards for engagement along with how Shein mitigates the risks associated with its design.

Lastly, it said that under the Digital Services Act, Shein must disclose the main parameters it uses in its recommender systems, and it must give users at least one easily accessible option that is not based on profiling for each recommender system.

Now that it has launched its probe, the European Commission said it will continue to gather evidence to assist with its investigation.

“The opening of formal proceedings empowers the Commission to take further enforcement steps, including interim measures or the adoption of a non-compliance decision,” it said. 

“The Commission is also empowered to accept commitments made by Shein to remedy matters subject to the proceeding.” 

 The beginning of the investigation comes after three requests for information seeking information on how it’s complying with the Digital Services Act.

It did not give a timeline for how long its investigation will take, but a fine issued to X late last year of €120m to conclude that particular investigation came two years after it got under way.

Fines permitted under European law could stretch into hundreds of millions of euro depending on the company involved and the severity of the breach.

Coimisiún na Méan said: "We are very happy to be supporting the European Commission in the opening of formal proceedings against Shein. As part of this joint effort, we have also sent a request for information to Shein, seeking further information on how it complies with its obligation to protect minors on its service, in line with the requirements of Article 28 of the DSA."

In a statement, Shein said that it takes its obligations both in Ireland and Europe seriously, and took action last year after issues were identified.

“Over the last few months, we have continued to invest significantly in measures to strengthen our compliance with the DSA,” it said.

“These include comprehensive systemic-risk assessments and mitigation frameworks, enhanced protections for younger users, and ongoing work to design our services in ways that promote a safe and trusted user experience.” 

 It said that age assurance solutions had been rolled out across the EU and that it would continue to engage constructively with authorities here.