En septembre 2025, Shein est critiquée pour avoir promu une chemise avec une image ressemblant à Luigi Mangione, accusé du meurtre du PDG de UnitedHealthcare, alors que la fast fashion est pointée pour ses déchets, ses émissions et son manque de contrôle.

The example is in English to help you practice 😉

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The Shein scandal

In Sept. 2025, Shein faced backlash when a shirt was promoted online using an image resembling Luigi Mangione, a man accused of murdering a U.S. CEO.

Following the strong reaction on social media, Shein had to take quick action: the company deleted the image, blamed a third-party vendor, and an internal investigation was launched.

Who is Luigi Mangione?

• Luigi Mangione is accused of murdering Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, in Dec. 2024 in New York.
• UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurance company in the U.S., covering over 50 million Americans, part of UnitedHealth Group (ranked #5 on the Fortune 500 in 2024).
• Mangione was arrested days later in Pennsylvania; he has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

The scandal once again highlighted Shein's — an online marketplace like Temu, specialized in clothing — weak control over its platform, following earlier controversies such as toxic levels of lead found in clothing (2021) and copyright theft accusations in the U.S. (2023 lawsuit).

The fast fashion industry

The fast fashion industry produces 92 million tons of textile waste every year (UNEP, 2023).

It is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions — more than aviation (2-3%) and shipping (3%) combined.

Cheap prices drive demand, especially among young people or consumers in financial difficulty.

But cheap prices also mean more purchasing power: instead of buying one outfit, you can afford five for the same price > fashion becomes affordable and more desirable.

Platform oversight

Platforms like Shein act as resale platforms, relying on third-party vendors.

This outsourcing allegedly enables Shein to add 6,000 new items daily to its app, but also creates a lack of oversight > scandals ranging from child labor to toxic chemicals in products.


Let's reflect on that

To help you remember, here are a few questions you can reflect on and discuss with your friends. This could help you feeling more confident during a colle or when finding a leading question.

• To what extent should platforms be responsible for content uploaded by vendors?
• How does this compare to social media content moderation? When does moderation become protection, and when does it cross into censorship?
• How much responsibility lies with consumers for supporting ethical brands? Is consumer choice sufficient to regulate profit-driven platforms?
• Should schools include teaching digital literacy and AI awareness into their curricula?

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