The European Commission recently announced that it has launched a formal investigation into AliExpress, an international e-commerce platform owned by Alibaba, the Chinese tech giant. This investigation comes as a result of concerns over the dissemination of illegal content on the website.
The investigation is being conducted under the Digital Services Act, a new legislation implemented by the European Union to regulate tech giants and ensure that they adhere to certain guidelines. The focus of the investigation is on various aspects related to the management of risks, content moderation, transparency in advertising, traceability of traders, and data access for researchers on AliExpress.
One of the key issues being looked into is whether AliExpress has failed to enforce its own terms of service, which prohibit the sale of certain products that could be harmful to consumers’ health, such as fake medicines. Additionally, the Commission is investigating whether there have been violations of the DSA that have made it possible for minors to access pornographic material on the platform.
The investigation will also focus on how AliExpress recommends products to its users and whether the platform is compliant with the rule that requires a searchable repository of ads provided on the website. This marks the third formal probe initiated under the Digital Services Act, with previous investigations targeting TikTok and social media platform X.
As the European Commission delves into the practices of AliExpress, it is clear that the regulations set forth in the Digital Services Act are being taken seriously. The outcome of this investigation will have significant implications for how e-commerce platforms operate in the EU and may set a precedent for how tech giants are held accountable for the content shared on their platforms. Ultimately, this investigation highlights the importance of ensuring that online platforms prioritize the safety and well-being of their users.