The EC has launched an investigation against Alibaba under the Digital Services Act (DSA), which came into force this month. The new regulations impose on companies, among others: obligation to take action to combat illegal and harmful content on its platforms.
According to the Commission, AliExpress may have violated the DSA “in areas related to the management of risk factors, content moderation and the operation of the internal complaints system, the transparency of advertising and the recommendation system, the ability to track merchants and access to data.”
Brussels intends to check whether the Chinese platform, which operates dynamically in EU countries, offers counterfeit medicines and dietary supplements that may pose a threat to customers’ health. The European Commission will also verify what actions the company takes when it receives a report that this type of products are being sold on AliExpress.
In addition, the EC wants to investigate whether minors can access pornographic materials via the platform. It will also look at the recommendation system and check whether AliExpress keeps a register of advertisements posted on the website.
AliExpress: “We have cooperated and we will cooperate”
We have and will continue to work with the relevant authorities to ensure that we comply with applicable standards and will continue to ensure that we are able to meet DSA requirements. AliExpress is committed to creating a safe and compliant marketplace for all consumers
– the company said in a published statement.
, large online platforms, i.e. companies with over 45 million users in Europe, are subject to the strictest DSA regulations. In their case, possible violations may result in financial penalties of up to 6 percent of the total annual turnover.
AliExpress is one of the largest online sales platforms in the world. It belongs to the Chinese company Alibaba, which ended 2023 with revenues of $126 billion.
Source: Gazeta
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