Major online marketplace Vinted under ban threat after 'predators' warning - Daily Star

Vinted, a major online marketplace known for second-hand sales, is currently facing intense scrutiny after French authorities uncovered alarming activities on its platform. Users have been found promoting pornographic content cleverly disguised as ordinary listings, often redirecting potential buyers to explicit sites like OnlyFans. This discovery has triggered regulatory concerns about the platform's role and its failure to implement effective age verification measures. The High Commissioner for Children in France, Sarah El Haïry, announced on November 16th that she has reported the issue to Arcom, the French media and digital communications regulator. The problem involves users posting seemingly innocent ads for swimsuits or lingerie, which serve as bait to lure users into messaging services where pornographic content is traded for money. El Haïry emphasized that predators are exploiting these listings to target vulnerable individuals, and she insisted that Vinted must take full responsibility for allowing such content to exist on its site. Although Vinted’s terms state that the platform is intended for users over 18, there are currently no mechanisms in place to verify users’ ages effectively. This gap leaves room for minors to access inappropriate content, which is illegal under French law. El Haïry stressed the urgency of protecting children, highlighting that powerful digital platforms have both the tools and legal obligations to monitor and control the content they host. In response, Vinted issued a statement reaffirming that member safety is their top priority, and they maintain zero tolerance for sexually explicit communication or promotion of sexual services. The company encourages users to report violations of its Community Standards promptly, allowing their moderation team to act. They also detailed tools available to users, such as the ability to block other members permanently and the recommendation to keep conversations within the Vinted messaging system to maintain safety. This controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of online marketplaces in France, following the recent discovery of childlike sex dolls on Shein’s French website. The dolls, described as having an unmistakably illegal and pedophilic nature, sparked outrage and led to an official investigation. French authorities reported Shein to prosecutors and demanded urgent measures to prevent further offenses. Shein has removed the listings and is reviewing its controls, but it still faces criticism for allowing such products to appear. These incidents underscore a growing concern about the responsibility of large digital platforms to protect users, especially minors, from harmful and illegal content. The pressure is mounting for marketplaces like Vinted and Shein to improve their monitoring systems, adopt stricter age verification, and cooperate fully with regulators to prevent misuse of their platforms. Failure to do so could result in sanctions or even bans, affecting their business operations and reputation globally.