Authored by Bill Pan via The Epoch Times(emphasis ours),
The European Union has opened an in-depth investigation into online fashion retailer Shein over the sale of illegal itemsand what it calls the Chinese-owned platform’s “addictive design.”
The probe, announced on Feb. 16 by the European Commission, marks the bloc’s first formal proceeding against the company under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a set of sweeping online regulations that governs nearly all corners of the digital ecosystem, from e-commerce platforms to social media networks.
Brusselssaidit is investigating the sale of illegal products “including child sexual abuse material,” citing in particular child-like sex dolls that were found on Shein’s marketplace. The company came under scrutiny in France in late 2025after authorities discovered lifelike sex dolls resembling young girls on the site, along with illegal weapons. The French government moved tosuspendaccess to Shein’s website, but a court blocked the move and instead asked Brussels to step in under the DSA.
The controversy, EU officialssaid, exposed broader concerns about whether Shein poses “a systemic risk for consumers across the entire European Union.” They have asked the company to provide information on how it ensures that minors are not exposed to age-inappropriate content, as well as how it prevents the circulation of illegal products on its platform.
Investigators will also look into Shein’s “addictive design,” including the use of gamified features such as points, rewards, and other incentives for frequent engagement. EU officials havesaidthat such designs may encourage excessive use, particularly among younger users, and undermine consumer protection and users’ mental well-being.
Another focus of the inquiry will be the alleged “lack of transparency” around the algorithms Shein uses to recommend content and products to users. Under the DSA, “very large platforms,” defined as those with over 45 million users in the EU, must disclose the main parameters of their recommender systems and offer at least one easily accessible option that is not based on profiling.
A spokesperson for Shein said the company takes its “obligations under the DSA seriously” and will cooperate with investigators.
“Over the last few months, we have continued to invest significantly in measures to strengthen our compliance with the DSA. 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,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times.
The investigation is the latest in a series of actions the EU has taken that affect Chinese-owned tech and e-commerce firms.
Source: ZeroHedge News
