14th March 2024 – (Brussels) The European Commission has initiated an inquiry into AliExpress for the alleged distribution of illegal and adult content, marking this as the third significant probe following similar investigations into prominent social media platforms and TikTok. This action leverages the authority vested by the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates a stricter oversight on online services to curb the spread of unlawful and harmful material.
In November, AliExpress received a formal request for information, which has led to this latest development. Commission officials expressed concerns about the platform’s potential sale of counterfeit medications, non-compliant food items, and unsubstantiated health supplements.
The investigation also seeks to unearth covert sales channels for non-compliant goods and the involvement of influencers in such activities, which may deceive consumers. Despite these concerns, the Commission clarified, “At this stage, we have not confirmed non-compliance by AliExpress. We suspect it, based on certain elements, but this is not a conclusive determination of a violation.”
In response, AliExpress has asserted its commitment to adhering to all relevant laws and regulations in its operational markets. “We are actively cooperating with the authorities to ensure our compliance with applicable standards and are dedicated to fulfilling the requirements set forth by the DSA,” the company stated, emphasizing its dedication to maintaining a secure and lawful marketplace.
The DSA imposes stringent obligations on very large online platforms (VLOPs) like AliExpress, which have over 45 million European users. Non-compliance with the DSA could result in penalties amounting to as much as 6% of the company’s global annual revenue.
In a broader scope, the European Commission has also dispatched inquiries to several tech giants, including Microsoft’s Bing, Google Search, Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram, Snapchat, ByteDance’s TikTok, and Elon Musk’s X, regarding their use of generative artificial intelligence. The Commission’s aim is to ascertain whether these firms conduct risk assessments and implement strategies to mitigate the harm from generative AI, especially concerning the spread of deepfakes and election-related misinformation.
The companies have been given until 3rd April to address election protection queries, and until 24th April for other relevant concerns.
The surge in generative AI technologies, such as Microsoft-supported OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s chatbot Gemini, has heightened the fear of misinformation campaigns and fake news proliferation.
Furthermore, the Commission has requested details from Microsoft’s LinkedIn concerning allegations of using personal data for targeted advertising, a concern raised by civil society groups, with a deadline set for April 5 for the company to respond.
