Mar 15, 2024 16:00:00

China's major EC site ``AliExpress'' will undergo formal EU investigation into dissemination of illegal content and access to pornography

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The European Commission (EC), the European Union 's policy enforcement agency, has announced that it will launch a formal investigation into AliExpress , a major e-commerce site operated by China's Alibaba Group , based on the Digital Services Act (DSA). . The EC explains that the reason for investigating AliExpress is that it may have not done enough to prevent the spread of illegal content and reduce risks to consumers.

DSA: Commission opens formal proceedings against AliExpress
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_1485

EU opens investigation in to Alibaba's AliExpress over illegal content
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/14/eu-opens-investigation-in-to-alibabas-aliexpress-over-illegal-content.html

AliExpress is first online marketplace to face DSA investigation by EU | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/14/aliexpress-dsa-probe/

The Digital Services Act adopted by the EU in 2022 is a law that requires the prompt removal of misinformation, targeted advertising, illegal content, etc. from social media and search platforms operated by technology companies. Violating companies will be subject to a fine of up to 6% of their annual sales. In April 2023, 17 platforms and two search engines were designated as subject to regulation under the Digital Services Act, including the international e-commerce site AliExpress.

European Commission announces large-scale platforms subject to the 'Digital Services Law', totaling 19 platforms including YouTube, Google, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Wikipedia - GIGAZINE

On March 14, 2024, the EC announced that it would conduct a formal investigation to assess whether AliExpress violates the Digital Services Act, based on the results of the preliminary investigation conducted so far. The EC says its investigation will focus on the following items:

・Assessing and mitigating the systemic risks posed by the dissemination of illegal content, in particular ``Use of AliExpress to prohibit counterfeit medicines and health supplements that pose health risks to consumers, as well as access to pornography by minors.'' ``Lack of effective measures to prevent the dissemination of illegal content'' ``Lack of effective measures to prevent manipulation on the platform using ``hidden links'''' ``Influencers illegally transmit illegal content through AliExpress affiliate programs'' or the lack of effective measures to prevent the risk of promoting harmful products.

- Whether you have complied with your Digital Services Act obligations to allow all users, including those who have not registered an account, to be notified of illegal content and to confirm receipt of such notifications.

- whether we have complied with our obligations under the Digital Services Act to provide an effective internal complaints handling system;

・Whether we have complied with our obligations under the Digital Services Act to assess the authenticity and completeness of information requested by AliExpress traders, including affiliate program participants.

- Whether we have complied with the Digital Services Act's obligations to provide transparency of the key parameters used in AliExpress's recommendation system and to provide the option of a recommendation system that is not based on profiling.

・Whether we have complied with the Digital Services Act's obligations to provide a searchable and reliable repository for ads placed on AliExpress.

・Whether we complied with our obligations under the Digital Services Act to provide researchers with access to public data on AliExpress.

The EC plans to conduct a thorough investigation into AliExpress in the future, but there is no deadline set for when the investigation will be completed.

In response to an inquiry from tech media outlet TechCrunch, an AliExpress spokesperson said: ``We respect all applicable rules and regulations in all markets in which we operate.As a leading platform as designated by the Digital Services Act, , we have worked and will continue to work with relevant authorities to comply with applicable standards. AliExpress is committed to creating a safe and compliant marketplace for all consumers. I promise to go.”

Furthermore, based on the Digital Services Act, the EC requires Bing, Google Search, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) to provide information on the risks of generative AI such as deepfakes and hallucinations (hallucinations). I have also reported that I requested it.

Commission sends requests for information on generative AI risks to 6 Very Large Online Platforms and 2 Very Large Online Search Engines under the Digital Services Act | Shaping Europe's digital future
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/commission-sends-requests-information-generative-ai-risks-6-very-large-online-platforms-and-2-very