Why French are angry with Shein
What's the story
Shein, a leading e-commerce platform, has announced a global ban on the sale of sex dolls. The decision comes after French authorities condemned the company for selling dolls that looked like children. France's finance minister had warned Shein of a potential ban in the country if it continued to sell these products, just days before its first physical store was set to open in Paris.
Legal action
Paris prosecutors launch investigation into Shein, competitors
The Paris prosecutors' office has launched investigations against Shein and its competitors AliExpress, Temu, and Wish for selling sex dolls. The probes are related to distributing "messages that are violent, pornographic or improper, (and) accessible to minors." This comes after France's anti-fraud unit reported on Saturday that Shein was selling "childlike" dolls of a likely pornographic nature.
Company action
Shein takes 'total' responsibility for listings
In light of the allegations, Shein has removed the listings for childlike sex dolls from its platform and launched an internal investigation. The company has also announced a "total ban on sex-doll-type products" and deleted all related listings and images. A spokesperson confirmed that this ban is applicable globally. "These publications came from third-party vendors, but I take personal responsibility," said Shein's CEO Donald Tang.
Ongoing investigations
AliExpress also sold similar dolls
France's High Commissioner for Childhood, Sarah El Hairy, has confirmed that several websites are being investigated. This comes after reports that Chinese shopping platform AliExpress also sold similar dolls. AliExpress has since removed the items from its website. The anti-fraud office is now taking legal action against AliExpress for selling "child-porn-style dolls."