French authorities have agreed with six major online platforms to tighten controls on the sale of goods that may have been stolen during the protests on October 17. Vinted, Amazon, eBay, Leboncoin, Meta and TikTok will remove suspicious ads, hand over data to investigators and report on the measures taken.
The decision was made after a meeting on October 19 between representatives of the platforms, Trade Minister Serge Papin and the Minister responsible for digital affairs, Anne Le Enanf. Representatives of the French ministries of the interior and justice also participated in the talks.
„Stolen goods from this weekend are on sale on some platforms. "We expect the ads in question to be removed immediately," said Anne Le Enanf.After the looting of stores in Paris, Lyon, Marseille and other cities, ads for clothes, shoes, bags, cosmetics, electronics and Pokémon trading cards have appeared online. Some of the posts listed unusually low prices, and some products still had anti-theft labels. French media also reported on offers that directly mentioned the date of the protests.
Prices, photos and seller behavior will be monitored
The platforms have committed to strengthening automated filters and human moderation. Listings with prices significantly below market value, sales of large quantities of new goods, visible security labels or descriptions suggesting looted goods will be checked.
The control will also cover purchase requests. Companies will inform users about the risks of acquiring items of criminal origin, and will provide authorities with data on sellers and transactions when necessary for an investigation. The first quantitative report on removed listings and reports filed is expected within 48 hours.
Vinted said it has a zero-tolerance policy and has already stepped up checks on suspicious offers. eBay said it was using technology to detect stolen goods in advance, but did not confirm an increase in such postings.
Damage from the riots is estimated at hundreds of millions
According to French authorities, at least 3,000 businesses were damaged or looted during the protests and subsequent riots. Among those affected were Louis Vuitton, Céline, Hermès and The North Face stores, pharmacies, electronics stores and video game stores.
The French Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimates that losses for retailers could reach hundreds of millions of euros. Analysts at Morningstar DBRS estimate insurance losses at up to 1.2 billion euros.
A new wave of protests is expected in France on October 24. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced that 70,000 police officers, including special units, will be deployed for security.