Paris asks to shut down Shein if it can't control its content

The French government is demanding that a court in Paris order a three-month suspension of the entire Shein online platform in France. This is in response to an incident in which banned products, including child sex dolls and weapons, appeared on the company's marketplace.

Shein had already deactivated its marketplace for third-party sellers on 5 November, but its main custom clothing site remains active.

The lawsuit aims to force the company to tighten its control significantly over what it offers on the platform. According to a French finance ministry official, Shein has the technical and financial capacity but is not acting.

A court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. The company has not yet commented on the case.

France is also investigating other online platforms, including Temu, AliExpress and Wish, for suspected violations of laws such as allowing minors to access pornographic content.

(reuters, max)