UNITED STATES: TikTok is making money off the sale of illicit and potentially harmful beauty products, including fake makeup and skin creams that require a prescription. Third parties are promoting counterfeit versions of Maybelline mascara, Vaseline lip balms, Dior perfumes, and skin-whitening lotions with prohibited components.
TikTok Shop is an in-app purchasing tool that enables users to purchase goods promoted by influencers and brands. It has helped to establish TikTok as a destination for online shopping, with UK respondents under 26 using the feature to make 19 purchases annually, more than through Instagram or Facebook.
TikTok charges a fee of 5% on purchases and has strict guidelines on what can be offered through the TikTok Shop. It bans the advertising and sale of counterfeit goods and outlaws the distribution of products that must be obtained with a prescription. However, users often see advertisements for illegal beauty items in their search engine results and content feeds.
Last week, nine out of the first twelve results in the TikTok Shop section of the app were fake. These included imitations of Viktor and Rolf’s Flowerbomb fragrance and variants of Dior’s Sauvage perfume.
Additionally, recommendations for what looked to be bogus goods were found when people searched for mascara and other cosmetics.
Customers of the TikTok Shop have issued warnings due to the abundance of counterfeit products. One woman in the UK was “fuming” after receiving a knockoff lip gloss. She warned us to be cautious when ordering from TikTok Shop, as the money outlay is not worth it. The company has no information on their store.
Another TikTok Shop buyer reported receiving a subpar perfume that smelled like nail varnish after placing an order from a respectable seller. She was informed that the item couldn’t be returned due to it having been used.
Health and consumer experts claim that the items’ components are unknown and their potential toxicity is unknown, making it unlikely they have completed the necessary safety testing to meet UK regulations.
Illegal goods sold through TikTok Shop are created in China and sent to the UK, with toxic levels of arsenic, mercury, and lead found. Customers are exposed if something goes wrong, with no assurance of safety or quality control.
Influencers have increased the sale of fake goods on social media, creating a channel for illegal organisations. A report found that 13% of women were influenced to purchase fake goods by social media endorsements.
The illegal sale of tretinoin-containing gels for treating acne poses a public health risk and is of “major concern” due to the fear and gullibility of others, fueled by social media.
TikTok restricted searches for “tretinoin” and deleted third-party seller listings that mentioned the component, a crime committed when prescription medications are sold without a valid prescription.
TikTok takes intellectual property infringement and the illegal sale of medical products seriously and has removed hundreds of items and vendors from TikTok Shop. In 2022, it introduced an Intellectual Property Protection Centre to help brands locate product listings that violate their IP.
Also Read: Republican Senator Rand Paul Opposes Bid to Ban Tiktok in Congress
