China's sex doll sharing services shut down after company fined by police

The sex doll sharing services being piloted in China has been snuffed out abruptly, less than a week after it was launched.

According to Sixthtone, the company -- Touch said on Sept. 18 that it will not move forward with plans to provide “shared girlfriends” to Beijing’s lonely hearts, expressing contrition after two of its employees were summoned by the police.

Suspension of project

On the grounds that it had “disturbed social order with vulgar activities,” the company was fined “several thousand (Chinese) yuan,”

The company released an official statement on the suspension saying:

"We apologize for the negative impact our 'shared girlfriend' project has had on society — especially the online environment — ahead of the significant meeting".

The "significant meeting" mentioned in the apology is a reference to the upcoming 19th Chinese Communist Party Congress, an important political meeting held once every five years.

However, Touch stressed that sex was "not vulgar", and that it would keep working towards bringing sexual enjoyment to the Chinese.

Online chatter

Even though ethics was a concern when the service was launched, and netizens have been largely supportive of the suspension, there are also some who are somewhat sympathetic to the company after the suspension.

Translation: "Why are sex-related matters considered lowbrow? If this is the case, then everyone came to this world through obscene and filthy ways?"

Translation: "Unable to face the truth of humanity...so they call it 'lowbrow'"

Others, instead, sneered at authorities' decision:

Translation: "The police are in charge of lowbrow culture?"

Translation: "Which law have they violated? Or is it that the leaders can't accept it?"

Translation: "Are there no lack of examples of officials sharing mistresses? This cannot be more lowbrow than the corrupt acts of our officials."

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Sex is still considered a taboo not to be discussed openly in China's society, which is largely conservative.

However, many sex shops still thrive in China, and the country produces more than 70% of sex toys available all around the world.

Based in Xiamen, a city in eastern China’s Fujian province, Touch has been manufacturing and selling lifelike dolls for personal use since it was founded in 2012.

Despite the suspension of sex doll sharing services, it continues to sell an array of sex toys, including sex dolls.

Top image via here