London, November 20, 2025
Vinted, the second-hand marketplace, is under investigation in France for permitting advertisements that covertly direct users to explicit adult content without proper age verification, raising significant child protection concerns. This scrutiny comes amid new regulatory pressures following France’s 2024 age verification law for adult websites.
Disguised ads on Vinted appear as ordinary product listings such as bikinis or lingerie but redirect users to pornographic subscription platforms like OnlyFans. These redirections occur without any barriers to prevent minors from accessing the content, despite France’s stringent regulations. Authorities view this practice as a serious loophole enabling minors to reach explicit material through a popular marketplace.
With over 23 million users in France, including many minors, Vinted’s platform has become a focal point for regulators highlighting its inadequate age controls. The French High Commissioner for Children sounded the alarm after uncovering these ads, leading the country’s digital regulator to launch an official investigation. Critics demand that platforms like Vinted face regulatory scrutiny similar to explicit adult websites to ensure a safer online environment for children.
This issue arises within the context of France’s 2024 legislation that mandates strict age verification mechanisms for accessing adult content online. Platforms that function as gateways to such material without implementing comparable controls risk enforcement actions and increased public pressure. The regulatory move reflects broader societal imperatives to safeguard minors from indirect exposure to harmful sexual content via digital marketplaces.
In response, Vinted has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance toward unsolicited sexual communications and the promotion of sexual services. The company stated it uses proactive detection tools to identify and remove illicit content swiftly and permanently ban users who violate policies. However, Vinted’s assertions have not fully alleviated concerns, as experts and authorities point to persistent challenges regulating disguised ads and indirect promotion of adult content.
The controversy underscores the growing difficulties faced by digital platforms in policing covert pathways to explicit material. It also highlights the urgency for more robust, enforceable measures and clearer legal responsibilities for marketplaces like Vinted. The ongoing investigation will likely influence future policy debates on the intersection of digital commerce, child protection, and online content regulation in France and potentially across the European Union.