Key Points:
- The European Commission has formally investigated AliExpress under the DSA; concerns revolve around disseminating illegal content and potential breaches.
- The probe will examine AliExpress’s risk management, content moderation practices, transparency in advertising, and other operational aspects.
- Focus areas include terms of service, prevention of minors accessing inappropriate content, and compliance with advertising transparency rules.
- This is the third formal probe initiated under the Digital Services Act, following investigations into TikTok and social media platform X.
The European Commission has initiated a formal investigation into AliExpress, an international e-commerce platform operated by Chinese tech giant Alibaba, citing concerns regarding disseminating illegal content. This move comes as part of the Commission’s enforcement efforts under the newly enacted Digital Services Act (DSA), which aims to regulate tech giants and ensure compliance with various regulations, including content moderation and consumer protection.
The investigation into AliExpress will scrutinize multiple aspects under the DSA, including managing risks associated with content moderation, internal complaint handling mechanisms, transparency in advertising, recommender systems, traceability of traders, and data access for researchers. The Commission seeks to determine whether AliExpress may have violated DSA regulations in these areas.
One key focus of the probe is to assess whether AliExpress adequately enforces its terms of service, particularly concerning the prohibition of certain products that pose risks to consumer health, such as counterfeit medicines. Additionally, the Commission aims to investigate allegations of minors accessing pornographic material on the platform, exploring potential violations of DSA provisions aimed at protecting underage users from inappropriate content.
The investigation will also delve into AliExpress’s product recommendation algorithms and compliance with the platform’s advertising transparency rules. The DSA mandates the creation of a searchable repository of ads provided on online platforms, ensuring transparency and accountability in advertising practices.
This marks the third formal probe initiated under the DSA, following previous investigations into TikTok and the social media platform X. The European Commission’s scrutiny of AliExpress reflects a broader regulatory effort to address concerns surrounding online content, consumer protection, and the accountability of digital platforms operating within the European Union.
