Vinted, a second-hand clothing platform with 23 million users in France, is currently being investigated for allegedly allowing user accounts to redirect traffic to pornographic websites. This investigation was prompted by concerns expressed by France's Children's Rights Commissioner, Sarah El-Haïry, who noted that some users were able to lure visitors from legitimate clothing sales to adult platforms like OnlyFans.
Vinted has a 'zero-tolerance policy' toward unsolicited sexual content; however, critics point out that the absence of an age-verification process could expose minors to inappropriate materials. The platform has stated that it takes such issues very seriously, ensuring that all inappropriate or illegal content is promptly removed, and that offenders can be permanently banned.
The situation highlights broader concerns regarding minors' safety on online marketplaces. Recently, the French government has scrutinized other e-commerce platforms, including Shein and AliExpress, examining their roles in selling potentially illegal and harmful products.
In response to reports of child-related pornography linked to these marketplaces, investigations have been opened, prompting urgent reform discussions on protecting children from exposure to harmful content online.
El-Haïry emphasized the alarming trend where predators utilize platforms initially designed for purchasing everyday clothing items to direct users towards explicit content, raising significant alarm among officials about online safety for minors.
