The dark side of reselling apps: ‘If you include your pants, I’ll pay more’

The UK government is looking to extend its planned under-16s social media ban to include online marketplaces like Depop, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed ministers are seriously considering the move amid growing concerns that private messaging functions on these platforms have become a new frontier for child exploitation.

The regulations, sent for cabinet signoff this week, would require platforms to implement strict age verification features. Vinted, which already has a minimum age requirement of 18, would need to join other sites in gating access. Nandy is expected to present the measures to parliament in December.

Growing exploitation concerns

Parents and young sellers have reported disturbing interactions on resale platforms. One mother, Hannah*, listed her seven-year-old daughter's swimming costume for £1 on Vinted only to receive messages asking if the item had been worn naked by the child. After blocking the user, she described the exchange as disgusting and disturbing.

AI deepfakes and privacy violations

The Children's Society has warned that young users are increasingly being asked for indecent photos in exchange for money or gifts. Some photos posted on these platforms have been AI deepfaked into nudes without consent. Lucy*, who started reselling clothes at 15, discovered images of her had been scraped from Depop and were circulating on Reddit.

She later found that users had manipulated her old photos using AI to create explicit deepfakes. It's deplorable that people think it's acceptable to take people's images and make them into AI porn – I felt really, really upset, she said. Despite being 25 now, Lucy continues to find sexualized images of herself online.

Platform responses and implementation challenges

Vinted claims minors can only access the site under adult supervision, while Depop requires users to be 13 or older to set up an account and over 18 to use payment systems. However, Ofcom found that 15% of eight to 14-year-olds use Vinted monthly, with some children bypassing age checks.

The platforms have issued statements emphasizing their safety measures. Vinted said it has zero tolerance for harmful or explicit content and uses moderation teams and detection tools. eBay highlighted its policies against sharing personal details, while Depop explicitly prohibits using others' content without permission.

Child safety campaigners have expressed mixed feelings about the ban. Karen Garland from the Marie Collins Foundation warned that excluding children from the internet entirely may not be the best route overall. Lucy acknowledged the risks but noted that some young girls really need that money from selling clothes online.