BRUSSELS, Feb 17 (KUNA) -- The European Commission announced on Tuesday the launch of a formal investigation into Shein citing concerns over the platformآ’s "addictive design" and allegations of selling illegal products, including child like dolls.
The Commission said the probe will examine Sheinآ’s systems to prevent the sale of illegal goods in the EU, including content that could fall under child exploitation.
It will also assess risks linked to addictive design features such as points and rewards used to boost user engagement and the effectiveness of measures to mitigate potential harm to users and consumers.
The investigation further covers the transparency of Sheinآ’s recommendation systems, as EU digital services law requires platforms to disclose key criteria and offer at least one non-profiling option.
The Commission previously sent information requests to Shein in June 2024, February 2025, and November 2025 regarding compliance with digital services rules, especially on consumer and minor protection and recommendation system transparency. (end) arn.mt