Our revolution in southern Guangdong province has local, state and federal authorities conducting an investigation into a factory. The factory is accused of created customizable dolls with exhibited pedophilic features. This action follows growing concerns over the production and sale of such items, particularly in light of recent public outcry and international scrutiny regarding childlike pornography.
The factory, seen in the photo above, is one of a number across the region allegedly involved in this illegal and controversial market. Officials have called for an immediate stop to production at this facility. They are in the middle of an investigation to get to the bottom of these very serious allegations. This has become one of the most high-profile issues in the country, with local officials making it a must-win grassroots campaign.
Just this week, the notoriously opaque online retailer Shein—originally founded in China and now headquartered in Singapore—announced its intention to go public. Last month, they took things a step further by banning the sale of all sex dolls—worldwide. That ban was prompted, in part, by a wave of public outrage over the accessibility of dolls that look like children.
“We have strengthened our keyword blacklist to further prevent attempted circumvention of product listing restrictions by sellers,” – Shein.
The impact of these practices is not limited to China. French authorities have looked into AliExpress before for childlike sex dolls, so this is not an isolated incident. Sweden’s government has gone one step further, pledging to crack down on online retailers that sell these products.
The Paper, a Chinese state-owned news outlet, recently reported on the prevalence of childlike sex dolls produced in Guangdong province, highlighting the urgency for regulatory measures. The report highlights the compelling public interest electronic commerce companies have in doing the right thing and not profiting from this form of fraud.
“I now start from the principle that electronic commerce companies assume their responsibilities and do everything possible to end the marketing of sexual dolls that resemble children,” – Camilla Waltersson Gronvall.
The probe into the Hengda factory is just one part of a broader investigation into several manufacturers in southern Guangdong. To that end, authorities are scrutinizing these operations. At the same time, there is increasing public pressure for stricter regulation on the production and sale of products that can devour vulnerable populations.