The European Commission is investigating Shein for the sale of illegal products, dependency risks, and the transparency of recommendation systems.

THE European Commission has initiated an investigation against Shein, focusing on several aspects related to compliance with the Digital Services Act. The investigation will examine the systems implemented by Shein to limit the sale of illegal products in the European Union, including materials that may contain child sexual abuse, such as child-like sex dolls. It will also analyze the risks associated with the addictive features of the service, such as rewards offered to consumers, which may affect user well-being. Another important point of the investigation is the transparency of the recommendation systems used by Shein, with the European Commission requesting details about their parameters and options that do not rely on profile creation. The European Commission has sent several information requests to Shein to assess compliance with regulations, and the investigation will continue by collecting evidence and conducting interviews. The opening of the official procedure allows the European Commission to take further measures to ensure compliance with the legislation, without setting a deadline for the completion of the investigation.