Understanding Shein's sex doll scandal in five questions

Understanding Shein's Sex Doll Scandal in Five Questions

France's consumer watchdog, the DGCCRF, discovered childlike sex dolls for sale on the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein. The platform stated it would "fully cooperate with the judicial authorities," prompting concerns about its content moderation policies.

What triggered the scandal?

On October 31, the DGCCRF found sex dolls resembling children being sold on Shein. The agency reported the platform to prosecutors, saying it was "difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content." Prosecutors have since opened an investigation.

Are other platforms involved?

Following Shein, similar childlike sex dolls were found on AliExpress, which also faces judicial inquiry. The investigation has expanded to include Temu and Wish, which sell similar products. These platforms offer other sex dolls that are legal, but concerns focus on those accessible to minors without age restrictions.

What are the legal concerns?

The main issue centers on pornographic products being available without proper age filtering, which led to a wider probe into the four companies. The French government has criticized the easy access to these dolls by minors.

Are similar products available elsewhere?

Simple online searches reveal that the same types of sex dolls, including those resembling children, are sold without age checks on platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Rakuten.

"Difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content." — DGCCRF statement

Summary

Shein and other platforms face serious legal and ethical scrutiny over selling childlike sex dolls accessible to minors, highlighting gaps in online content regulation.

Author's note: This case reveals significant challenges in e-commerce content moderation and the urgent need for stricter age controls on sensitive products.

Le Monde — 2025-11-04