EU launches DSA probe into Shein over sale of child-like intercourse dolls

The EU desires to know what techniques Shein has in place to restrict the sale of unlawful merchandise within the bloc.

The European Fee is investigating Shein after it offered child-like intercourse dolls within the bloc. Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán will participate within the investigation on condition that Shein’s EU operations are headquartered in Dublin.

Shein got here below hearth final in 2025 after it was revealed that the Chinese language e-retailer allowed the sale of lifelike intercourse dolls that resembled younger women within the EU. The French authorities, on the time, threatened to ban Shein from nation, however the retailer was left unscathed after it apparently eliminated the unlawful items.

The EU’s Digital Providers Act (DSA) probe into Shein will examine the techniques the corporate has in place to “restrict” the sale of unlawful merchandise within the EU.

It should additionally have a look at the attainable dangers linked with Shein’s “addictive design” – which incorporates incentives resembling factors or rewards for engagements, in addition to the measures it has in place to mitigate them.

As well as, the probe will examine the transparency of the algorithm Shein makes use of to suggest content material and merchandise to customers. Beneath DSA, platforms are obligated to reveal the important thing parameters they use of their recommender techniques.

Formal proceedings had been initiated after the EU analysed danger evaluation experiences and requests for data supplied by Shein, and acquired data from third-party stakeholders.

Shein has been below the EU’s radar ever because it was designated as a Very Massive On-line Platform (VLOP) alongside Temu again in 2024. The designation meant that Shein is topic to a few of the most stringent guidelines below the DSA.

The EU has despatched Shein a number of requests for data since its designation as a VLOP, requesting data on youngster safety, mechanisms to report unlawful merchandise, recommender system transparency and entry to knowledge for researchers.

The contemporary investigation into Shein is complementary to the motion relating to Shein’s compliance with the area’s client legislation.

The EU’s Client Safety Cooperation Community, in a joint probe with the European Fee discovered final 12 months that Shein employed quite a lot of practices that breach EU legal guidelines. This included providing pretend reductions on its web site that faux to supply higher offers, placing strain on shoppers by displaying deadlines for ‘offers’ and utilizing misleading labelling to draw shoppers.

Probably addictive web sites promoting unlawful items are usually not, nevertheless, Shein’s solely issues. Final August, Dublin-based firm Infinite Kinds Providers, which manages Shein’s buying and selling web sites in Europe, was fined €1m by Italy’s competitors authority for greenwashing its merchandise.

Don’t miss out on the data you might want to succeed. Join the Every day Temporary, Silicon Republic’s digest of need-to-know sci-tech information.