this post was submitted on 08 Nov 2025
52 points (75.5% liked)

Europe

7696 readers
1644 users here now

News and information from Europe πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί

(Current banner: La Mancha, Spain. Feel free to post submissions for banner images.)

Rules (2024-08-30)

  1. This is an English-language community. Comments should be in English. Posts can link to non-English news sources when providing a full-text translation in the post description. Automated translations are fine, as long as they don't overly distort the content.
  2. No links to misinformation or commercial advertising. When you post outdated/historic articles, add the year of publication to the post title. Infographics must include a source and a year of creation; if possible, also provide a link to the source.
  3. Be kind to each other, and argue in good faith. Don't post direct insults nor disrespectful and condescending comments. Don't troll nor incite hatred. Don't look for novel argumentation strategies at Wikipedia's List of fallacies.
  4. No bigotry, sexism, racism, antisemitism, islamophobia, dehumanization of minorities, or glorification of National Socialism. We follow German law; don't question the statehood of Israel.
  5. Be the signal, not the noise: Strive to post insightful comments. Add "/s" when you're being sarcastic (and don't use it to break rule no. 3).
  6. If you link to paywalled information, please provide also a link to a freely available archived version. Alternatively, try to find a different source.
  7. Light-hearted content, memes, and posts about your European everyday belong in other communities.
  8. Don't evade bans. If we notice ban evasion, that will result in a permanent ban for all the accounts we can associate with you.
  9. No posts linking to speculative reporting about ongoing events with unclear backgrounds. Please wait at least 12 hours. (E.g., do not post breathless reporting on an ongoing terror attack.)
  10. Always provide context with posts: Don't post uncontextualized images or videos, and don't start discussions without giving some context first.

(This list may get expanded as necessary.)

Posts that link to the following sources will be removed

Unless they're the only sources, please also avoid The Sun, Daily Mail, any "thinktank" type organization, and non-Lemmy social media (incl. Substack). Don't link to Twitter directly, instead use xcancel.com. For Reddit, use old:reddit:com

(Lists may get expanded as necessary.)

Ban lengths, etc.

We will use some leeway to decide whether to remove a comment.

If need be, there are also bans: 3 days for lighter offenses, 7 or 14 days for bigger offenses, and permanent bans for people who don't show any willingness to participate productively. If we think the ban reason is obvious, we may not specifically write to you.

If you want to protest a removal or ban, feel free to write privately to the primary mod account @EuroMod@feddit.org

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

A mother whose three-year-old girl's hair was ripped out by an electric cleaning brush says the internet giant Temu "does not care about the safety of people".

Amy, 36, from Norwich, bought the brush online for Β£4 to "make life easier" with housework, but it caught in her daughter's hair when the child took it out of the box.

She reported the item as it appeared on the shopping site to Norfolk Trading Standards, who said Temu had now removed it from sale in the UK.

A spokesperson for the Chinese-owned site told the BBC: "We are deeply concerned to hear about this incident and wish the child a full and speedy recovery."

They added: "The safety and wellbeing of our customers are always our top priority, and our customer service team is in contact with the family to offer assistance."

...

all 41 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] generator@lemmy.zip 84 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

I see that people is blaming Temu without reading the article or even seeing the product photo.

That's not for hair brush, it's a power tool for cleaning appliances (bathtubs, kitchen...)

The kid picked the tool and use it on her hair, the mother is blaming the online store for the product instead of having more careful leaving power tools with kids.

Not saying that Temu products are good or not. But if you leave power tools with kids and something happens don't blame the store

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 0 points 4 hours ago

What are you talking about? Everyone in here is blaming the mother.

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 82 points 16 hours ago (3 children)

While she's not wrong about Temu's approach to consumer protections (if they can be said to have one), it's hardly their responsibility to ensure her kid doesn't operate tools she shouldn't.

If her daughter had lost a hand to a powered electric saw she should have been nowhere near, would that also somehow be Black & Decker's fault?

With that said, I do wish people would stop buying cheap products of dubious quality - regardless of who sells them.

[–] swizzlestick@lemmy.zip 12 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Best take.

Hard lessons taught for the kid - mum is a dumbass, and stay away from rotary tools.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 1 points 8 hours ago

I'd agree except that clearly the parents learned nothing.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

Sounds like it was light enough for a child to use, powerful enough to scrub all her hair off. Cheap. 5 stars.

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 8 points 13 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago) (1 children)

So? I could come up with almost infinite things a child could activate, but definitely shouldn't. Temu isn't in this lady's home and 'good parenting' isn't a product they sell. This is entirely her responsibility.

Now, if we'd been taking about - I don't know - children's shoes full of BPA, chromium and lead, then yes - that would absolutely been on the manufacturer and partially on Temu (and I wouldn't be at all surprised to find they sell something like that too), but...

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca -4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Please link to us a similar device of higher quality made in the UK or USA.

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk 6 points 13 hours ago

You appear to be missing my point by a wide country mile. Also, either pay me or do your own work.

[–] Lembot_0005@lemy.lol 2 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

We can't afford anything more expensive and in too many cases the quality of those more expensive things isn't better.

[–] xxce2AAb@feddit.dk -4 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Do you need an 'electric cleaning brush'? We have this cheap, battle-tested commonly available device called a broom. It's sometimes combined with an ergonomically shaped piece of metal or plastic called a 'dust pan' to great effect. Lasts practically forever, and as a bonus neither will spontaneously scalp your three year old child (or catch on fire).

I realize you weren't necessarily talking about this particular product, but I'm trying to illustrate how no product is often times preferable to a cheap one. We got by before these things existed, somehow.

We got by in the days before smartphones existed too. And internet. And electricity. Doesn't necessarily mean we want a return to those days.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 63 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

She allowed a 3 year old to play with power tools, and blames the manufacturer?

[–] hendrik@palaver.p3x.de 35 points 16 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (1 children)

Why the heck would someone use a brush that has the words "tile, sink, wash basin, bath/showers" on it and let their small kid play with it? Generally tools and kids don't mix well. You're supposed to stow power tools and bathroom cleaning supply out of reach. Same goes for other motorized things, even a handheld electric mixer in the kitchen, we also got youtube videos about how they rip out hair of stupid teenagers.

[–] JohnnyCash@sopuli.xyz 9 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Articles (or headlines) like this are nothing more than "China bad" clickbait.

It's one of the reasons I left reddit/FB/Twitter etc., and it's something that's been popping up on Lemmy gradually last couple of years. Critical thinking is an afterthought.

[–] hendrik@palaver.p3x.de 7 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I think that's a general societal trend and we're not exempt from any of that. But yeah, I wish we'd focus on quality and discuss things, not stir up simple emotions.

[–] JohnnyCash@sopuli.xyz 4 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Appeal to emotion is one of the biggest fallacies perpetrated on social media. Guess we just go back to downvoting and blocking to keep the feed sane Β―\_(ツ)_/Β―

[–] hendrik@palaver.p3x.de 5 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

Yeah, It won't do anything, though. That dynamic is baked in to the core of social media. You're supposed to doomscroll and get some small but constant dopamine hits. It'll tingle a bit once you're offended or get your perspective validated. I don't think it's a fallacy, that's the core dynamics, and what we incentivise people to do by designing platforms like this.

(I think the framing is a bit stupid, because it takes away from the valid criticism of TEMU and there's enough of it. This is more like the good old story of how someone dried their dog in the microwave and now we need stickers to tell people how reality works.)

[–] You@feddit.org 22 points 15 hours ago

While there is reason to blame Temu for a lot of things, including the safety of many of their products, in this specific case, I don't really see it. If parents put boxes with potentially dangerous objects (even when they are in boxes) in areas that are in easy reach of a 3 year old, and then said child unboxes an electric gadget... They are lucky that it's only ripped out hair.

[–] Aggravationstation@feddit.uk 19 points 13 hours ago

Just did a quick search and you can buy similar power cleaning brushes from most online retailers as well as brick and mortar hardware shops in the UK. Temu are a scummy company, but this is a case where I don't think you can really blame them.

[–] meldrik@lemmy.wtf 17 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Buying from Temu is not caring about safety lol

[–] 1985MustangCobra@lemmy.ca 1 points 9 hours ago

there's very few things i would buy from temu. this would be one thing i wouldn't buy

[–] CybranM@feddit.nu 15 points 16 hours ago (2 children)
[–] stoy@lemmy.zip 11 points 16 hours ago

Never have, never will.

[–] Hawk@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 13 hours ago

Why not, you could also buy the same thing from the official store: https://domostil.com/products/cordless-electric-cleaning-brush-magic-brush-5-in-1

[–] ZkhqrD5o@lemmy.world 10 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

While the brush was apparently low quality and flew off, it is the responsibility of the parent to ensure their kids stay safe, not temu. The negligent cunt of a mother admitted she let her kid operate a cleaning power-tool, she had no business of getting her hands on. The mother clearly endangered her three year old and now shifts the blame on the seller. Be an adult and take responsibility for god's sake.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 6 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I think you're being overly harsh, but I agree that this was the parents' fault.

I have something similar (not from Temu)--it's basically just a small electric drill. Should all electric drills stop being sold because a kid could hurt itself with one? Or should we not let theee-year-olds pick up power tools?

[–] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 hours ago

My the logic of the mother all power tools should be banned from sale in case a child gets their hands them.

[–] ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 4 hours ago

I'm sorry your shitty mom ass let your child play with a power cleaning tool and you let your kid get hurt. Quit projecting out over your own fuck up.

[–] HowAbt2day@futurology.today 4 points 13 hours ago

That’s a clean bald spot. I see Temu marketing this power took to balding men by the Christmas season.

[–] Denjin@feddit.uk 1 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Pay cheap shit money, get cheap shit product.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 2 points 8 hours ago

It probably works pretty well if it can rip hair out.

[–] _chris@lemmy.world 1 points 9 hours ago

Don’t let these dumbasses near any scary things like a cordless drill!

[–] reksas@sopuli.xyz -5 points 15 hours ago

That is what you get for using temu, poor child.