Users Alert to Photo Hijacking and Harassment on Vinted
Secondhand clothing platform users, particularly on Vinted, have sounded an alarm regarding a horror scenario: photos that they post for the sale of garments are being hijacked and exploited on pornography and sex-oriented websites without their knowledge. Besides unauthorized photo use, most receive sexually explicit harassment right under their offers, transforming what is otherwise supposed to be a secure marketplace into a threatening community.
Vinted, which was launched in Lithuania in 2008, is now Europe’s largest second-hand and new clothing marketplace, with more than 65 million registered users. It has especially proven a hit among young women a detail that seems to have attracted unwanted attention from trolls and abusers who have used the platform to be harassed and digitally exploited.
The problem has emerged in force in Germany, the largest economy in Europe, where a surge in complaints led to investigations by the media. Similar complaints were made by users in France, Italy, and the UK, underlining a widespread problem in various countries.
Real Stories Reveal Deep Impact of Digital Exploitation
One German user, identified only as Mina, shared her story on social media, warning others after discovering her Vinted photos had been copied and posted on adult sites. She described the shock of seeing her name linked to pornographic content in Google search results, just as she was applying for jobs.
In a tearful video on Instagram watched over 1.7 million times, Mina described Vinted abuse messages that included asking her to try items on without underwear and requests for more suggestive photos. More threatening, however, were that her bikinis or summer dresses-wearing photos were shared on erotic forums with her being described as a “naked OnlyFans star,” even though she’d never posted nude photos or had an account on those platforms.
We saw similar instances in an April probe by German media, uncovering a Telegram channel named Girls of Vinted. The channel shared more than 1,000 hacked photos of Vinted vendors, frequently accompanied by sexually explicit captions or offers of services, bringing unwitting sellers into a humiliating spotlight.
The UK also revealed a comparable website named Vinted Sluts, where women faced comparable abuse. Another victim, Bella, a student from Berlin, described a flood of crude messages after being spotlighted without consent.
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Vinted Responds but Challenges Persist
Vinted asserts that it operates a rigorous “zero-tolerance” policy towards sexually explicit harassment, removing offending material instantly if reported. The site has also developed its reporting mechanisms and frequently reminds users not to post photographs with visible faces or to share personal information in order to maintain their anonymity.
Even with these attempts, users such as Bella and Sonja, who is a lawyer, report that the harassment simply comes back from fresh accounts once offending accounts have been closed down, comparing it to “digital street harassment” with persistent cat-calling and objectification.
Vinted confirmed that it proactively reaches out to third-party websites to have stolen images taken down and assisted in the takedown of a Telegram channel and a named website following media publicity. Nonetheless, experts alert that the issue will continue unless platforms remain proactive and users are vigilant.
Legal counsels advise victims to report abuse to the local authorities and websites publishing their images. The EU’s Digital Services Act, which came into effect since February 2024, requires platforms to delete marked illegal content, further enhancing defenses against such online abuses.
As resale websites gain popularity, users need protection from image theft and harassment. For some sellers, websites like Vinted are not only marketplaces but communities as well. Keeping those communities secure is key to their survival.
