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The French state's attempt to suspend Shein's website in France was rejected by a court on Friday, which ruled the request "disproportionate." This decision came after the Asian e-commerce giant had already removed illicit products found on its platform,
which had prompted French authorities to seek a three-month block following the discovery of items like weapons, banned medications, and childlike sex dolls.
The authorities asked that the platform only be reopened if it applied strict new measures to prevent a repeat of the offences.
The Paris judicial court acknowledged a "serious harm to public order", but found their sale of the items in question had been "sporadic" and noted that Shein had removed the products.
The court nevertheless issued an "injunction" to Shein not to resume selling "sexual products that could constitute pornographic content, without implementing age-verification measures".
The state's request that Shein "at a minimum" maintain the suspension of its marketplace, which hosts products sold by third-party vendors, was not granted.
"Only certain products on the marketplace were identified, in these proceedings, as manifestly illegal and harmful, while the 'fr.Shein.com' platform offers several hundred thousand items for sale," said the court ruling. Despite the court's decision, Shein's marketplace is not expected to fully reopen right away, but gradually, its lawyers said.
The company has acknowledged difficulties in implementing an effective age filter for pornographic products. As a result, the adults-only sexual category would remain closed for the time being, as is the case worldwide since the uproar over the sale of childlike sex dolls on the platform broke in France in November.
A number of other e-commerce giants have also faced pressure on the European stage in recent months. Brussels in November requested formal information from Shein, which could lead to probes and even fines. But that does not in itself suggest the law has been broken, nor is it a move towards punishment.
