The European Commission has imposed a record-breaking €574 million fine on AliExpress following its failure to remove illegal and counterfeit products from its platform.
According to the EC, AliExpress inadequately monitored its site, allowing millions of problematic items to reappear online after being flagged. Content moderators were often given just tens of seconds to assess products, leading to numerous violations remaining for extended periods.
The EC also criticized AliExpress’s brand authorization system as ineffective and understaffed, with sellers able to bypass takedowns by misclassifying their goods. The platform's recommender and advertising systems further exacerbated the issue by promoting illegal products, despite claims that such content would be penalized.
These findings highlight a broader concern about the effectiveness of online marketplaces in policing themselves. With one in five Europeans shopping at sites like AliExpress, maintaining trust and safety is crucial, yet these issues persist.
