The European Commission has imposed a record €550 million fine on AliExpress, accusing the Chinese e-commerce giant of failing to prevent the sale of illegal, counterfeit, and unsafe products on its platform. The penalty stems from alleged violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates platforms to assess and mitigate systemic risks associated with content and product listings. According to the commission, AliExpress did not adequately evaluate the risk of spreading such items and relied on insufficient tools to detect and remove non-compliant goods. The company must submit a corrective action plan by October 20, or face additional penalties. AliExpress, the largest Chinese e-commerce platform operating in Europe, was found lacking in several key areas. The commission stated that the platform did not employ enough personnel to review the products sold online and failed to account for the risk that its promotional systems might spread illegal goods. Additionally, AliExpress used only one quantitative measurement tool to reduce the presence of prohibited items. The commission also criticized the company for not having adequate mechanisms to assess product quality, punish repeat offenders, and prevent the circulation of counterfeit goods. The fine marks a significant escalation in the European Union’s enforcement of the DSA, surpassing previous penalties levied against other tech giants. It exceeds the fines imposed on X, formerly known as Twitter, owned by Elon Musk, and Temu, another major e-commerce platform. However, the penalty does not reach the maximum threshold set by the DSA, which allows up to six percent of global revenue. AliExpress has expressed disagreement with the fine, calling it disproportionate and stating that it does not reflect the company's established regulatory framework or the proactive improvements it has implemented. In a statement, the company said it would carefully examine the decision and consider all available options while reaffirming its commitment to fulfilling its obligations. It highlighted the substantial resources invested in risk assessment, product safety, and consumer protection measures. The investigation into AliExpress began on March 14, 2024, to verify compliance with the DSA requirements regarding systemic risks, content moderation, transparency, seller traceability, and data access. By June 2025, the EU had made some commitments from the platform binding on certain aspects of the allegations but kept the process open on the shortcomings related to risk evaluation and mitigation concerning the spread of illegal products. The latest decision concludes that particular aspect of the inquiry. The European Commission has been increasingly assertive in enforcing digital regulations on large technology companies. Just weeks before the AliExpress ruling, Temu faced a similar €200 million fine for the same reasons. Recently, the commission took action against Google for its market dominance and against Meta, accused of fostering dependency through Instagram and Facebook. These actions underscore the growing role of Brussels in shaping the behavior of major digital firms within the European market. The case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by global e-commerce platforms in adhering to stringent regulatory frameworks designed to protect consumers and ensure fair competition. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the effectiveness of self-regulation and automated monitoring systems will remain under scrutiny by regulatory bodies across Europe.
2 reports
ANSAIndependentCenterFactual 90Objective 8316 hr. agoLa Commissione europea ha imposto a AliExpress una multa di 550 milioni di euro per violazioni del Regolamento sui Servizi Digitali (DSA), accusandola di non aver valutato e mitigato adeguatamente i rischi legati alla vendita di prodotti illegali, non sicuri o contraffatti. La Commissione sostiene che AliExpress non abbia effettuato una valutazione completa dei rischi, sovrastimando l'efficacia dei suoi sistemi di controllo e non considerando l'equilibrio tra moderatori e volume di prodotti. La piattaforma è stata criticata per l'insufficienza dei sistemi di raccomandazione e pubblicità, nonché per l'uso di indicatori non sufficienti a prevenire la ricomparsa di prodotti illegali. AliExpress ha espresso disaccordo, definendo la multa come sproporzionata e affermando di aver implementato miglioramenti significativi.
Bias read (Center): L'articolo presenta le accuse della Commissione europea in modo neutrale, senza enfasi particolare su un lato politico. Le informazioni sono basate su fatti e dichiarazioni ufficiali, senza apparente bias verso sinistra o destra. La posizione di AliExpress è riportata come risposta, mantenendo un'ap
Why factuality (90): This article accurately reflects the EU Commission’s findings against AliExpress, citing the 550 million euro fine and the reasons behind it, including inadequate risk evaluation and ineffective moderation systems. It matches the information from Il Fatto Quotidiano and presents the facts without ad
Why objectivity (83): The article maintains a neutral tone, focusing on the Commission’s official stance and the technical issues raised. While it mentions AliExpress’s potential response, it does not emphasize this more than the factual violations. There is minimal emotional language, though phrases like 'controlli faci
Il Fatto QuotidianoIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 7816 hr. agoThe European Commission has fined AliExpress 550 million euros under the Digital Services Act for failing to adequately address the sale of illegal, counterfeit, and dangerous products on its platform. The fine is the highest ever imposed by the Commission within this regulatory framework and surpasses previous fines against companies like X (formerly Twitter) and Temu. The ruling criticizes AliExpress for insufficient staff to evaluate goods, inadequate risk assessment tools, and reliance on a single quantitative metric to reduce prohibited items. The company argues the penalty is disproportionate and highlights its investments in product safety and consumer protection. This follows similar sanctions against other major tech firms such as Temu and Meta, reflecting the EU’s increasing enforcement of digital regulations.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the European Commission's legal action against AliExpress as a regulatory enforcement measure, without overtly endorsing or criticizing the EU's stance. It includes both the Commission's allegations and AliExpress's rebuttal, maintaining a balanced presentation of the dispute. S
Why factuality (85): The article reports the EU Commission’s 550 million euro fine against AliExpress for failing to address illegal products, as confirmed by multiple sources including ANSA. It aligns with the cross-source consensus on the nature of the violation and the proposed corrective measures. The article provid
Why objectivity (78): The tone remains largely neutral, presenting both the Commission’s accusations and AliExpress’s rebuttal. However, there is some editorializing in phrases like 'il colosso' and 'non costituiscono una scusa,' which slightly lean toward portraying AliExpress as a large corporation facing regulatory sc
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