Online retailers Shein, Temu, AliExpress, and Wish are being investigated in France concerning the offense of enabling minors to access pornographic content on their platforms, the Paris prosecutor said on Tuesday.
The country's consumer watchdog had reported the four firms to the prosecution service on Sunday after raising concerns about the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein's platform over the weekend.
The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that the platforms are under scrutiny for violent, pornographic or undignified messages accessible to minors.
Shein and AliExpress are also implicated in disseminating content related to children that is of a pornographic nature, according to the prosecutor's office.
The cases have been referred to Paris' Office des Mineurs, which safeguards the interests of minors.
On Monday, Shein announced it had banned the sale of all sex dolls worldwide and would permanently block all seller accounts involved with the illegal trade of such dolls, alongside implementing stricter platform controls.
The French consumer watchdog indicated that the descriptions and categorization of these dolls unequivocally suggested a pornographic nature.
As scrutiny amplifies around Shein, the retailer prepares to open its first permanent outlet in Paris this Wednesday.
Protesters have already convened outside the department store where the outlet is set to launch.
Shein is also planning to establish outlets in other French cities, including Dijon, Reims, and Angers.
