The second-hand platform Vinted finds himself at the center of a lively controversy. Suspicions of child traffickingrelayed massively on social networks, led to the opening of an official investigation in France. It all starts with ads for mundane objects, like toys or remote controls, displayed at exorbitant prices of several thousand euros, with descriptions specifying ages and sizes that could correspond to those of young children.
Where does this wave of suspicion come from?
The affair took on a considerable scale on the social networksparticularly following publications by influencers on TikTok. A content creator, Djena, shared a video viewed millions of times, pointing out what she believes are « codes » concealed in these ads. She denounces an organized system allowing the sale of children, urging her community to signals a lot ces publications.
This alert caused a chain reaction, with many Internet users reporting ads deemed suspicious to the Pharos government platform. The rumor, which is not new, has thus found a new echo, sowing doubt among thousands of users.
What was the reaction from Vinted and the media?
Faced with the growing controversy, Vinted reacted quickly. The Lithuanian company assured that it had not found “ no items allowing ads to be linked to child trafficking activities “. Depending on the platform, the high prices are due to negotiation strategies, provocations or the collectible value of certain objects. The ages indicated would correspond to the recommended age range for toys.
A media investigation 20 Minutes added a layer of complexity. By contacting a seller offering a remote control for 20,000 euros, the journalists were explicitly offered, via encrypted messaging, a 7 year old girl for 12,000 euros, supporting photo. It eventually turned out that the caller was a 17-year-old high school student looking to « trap pedos »a hoax which nevertheless added fuel to the fire.
What are the legal and political consequences?
The affair quickly left the digital sphere to reach the highest authorities. Sarah El Haïry, the High Commissioner for Children, seized Arcom and Pharos, declaring that there was “ not a second to lose » to shed light on these allegations. She described the content of the journalistic investigation as « chilling »even before the hoax was revealed.
As a result, the Nanterre public prosecutor’s office officially opened a preliminary investigation. The investigations were entrusted to theJuvenile Office (Ofmin)a specialized division of the judicial police. Their mission is now to verify the nature of these reports and to determine whether, beyond rumor and hoaxes, real criminal activity is hidden behind some of these announcements.
