The AAFA says the government needs to protect US companies, workers and families from the digital devalue chain of counterfeits being pushed on a number of platforms.
AAFA calls attention to specific platforms – Meta’s Facebook; Meta’s Instagram; Shopee; Alibaba’s AliExpress; and Alibaba’s Taobao – which it claims “allow, and benefit from, the promotion and sale of counterfeit products, which puts businesses, workers, consumers, and American innovation in danger.”
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AAFA says its members are active in the fight against counterfeits. AAFA member products again dominated the top 10 commodities seized by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 IPR Seizure report, a trend that has remained consistent over time, fueled by the growth of e-commerce.
“Counterfeits pose serious threats to American brands, businesses, American ingenuity and innovation, and American workers, as well as to the environment and to American consumers. While this trend is not replicated across every online platform, it represents an underlying concern: e-commerce platforms are often driven to maximise profits at the expense of one or more components of brand protection,” says the AAFA.
AAFA’s senior director of brand Protection, Jennifer Hanks adds: “Every day, counterfeits, and the fraudulent ads, fraudulent websites, and dupe influencers that promote them, flood platforms, deceiving consumers and complicating the important work of brand protection professionals to take down illicit and dangerous goods. All platforms must step up and take accountability for their willful blindness by instituting proactive, preventative measures so counterfeits are not visible on platforms in the first place.”
One concerning trend raised in 2025 by members is correlated to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Counterfeits and IP infringement have significantly worsened as sophisticated bad actors exploit AI faster than the platforms themselves harness the power of AI to block counterfeits.
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By GlobalDataAAFA president and CEO Steve Lamar says: “Recognising these platforms as notorious markets simply reflects the reality that counterfeit fashion is widely available on some of America’s most visited online marketplaces and social media platforms. The Trump Administration has an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the insufficient steps these marketplaces take to block counterfeiters while raising awareness among American consumers about this hidden online danger.”
Meta and Alibaba did not return request for comment at the time of press. Shoppee could not be reached for comment.
