Individuals may be using the guise of selling second-hand air conditioners to buy and sell sexual services on the Alibaba-operated  second-hand goods and services platform Xianyu, according to app users who posted about an alternative use of the keyword “second-hand air conditioners” on Chinese X-like platform Weibo.

Chinese internet users have dubbed  Xianyu “yellow fish” since the case came to light, because “yellow” in Chinese can refer to pornography; users have also made fun of  Xianyu’s meaning,  “leisurely fish.” Xianyu’s customer service department responded on Wednesday that the team will enhance their review procedures to weed out such  transactions, according to a Sina News post on Weibo.

Why it matters: In China, the buying and selling of sexual services is illegal, prohibited under the country’s public morality and social order laws. This issue may reflect a misuse of online platforms, where individuals exploit legitimate categories to facilitate illicit activities.

Details: Terms such as “second-hand air conditioners,” “coins,” “Apple SIM card ejector,” and “Giant bike” have allegedly become code words suspected for selling sex on the online trading platform, according to comments posted on social media.

• A screenshot posted by a netizen shows a page from a seller on Xianyu purportedly listing a second-hand air conditioner in 90%-new condition, with a promise of home installation. In the background of the image is an air conditioner mounted on the wall, while the bottom left-hand corner features small photos of different women. The price displayed ranges from RMB 50 to RMB 600 ($7 to $83), though sellers can edit prices after transactions.
• According to a video posted on Weibo, a one-cent coin priced at over a thousand yuan actually relates to a sexual service, where the production year on the coin indicates the age of the sex worker. For instance, a coin from the year 2000 signifies that the sex worker was born in 2000.
• “Don’t ask why a pin tool is so expensive. Some things are not measured by value,” states the Apple SIM card ejector product description page in another example.
• Some Xianyu users looking to buy a second-hand Giant bicycle came across a local seller on the platform. However, the two sides engaged in a confusing conversation, according to screenshots shared on social media. The bike could be ridden for 90 minutes, the seller allegedly said, implying the duration of a sex service.

Context: Xianyu said its daily GMV (Gross Merchandise Volume) on the platform has exceeded one billion RMB ($138 million), local media outlet 36Kr reported in March. In the past year, over 100 million people posted items for sale on the platform, the company claimed.

• Digital products, ACG (anime, comic, game) products, tickets, vouchers, transportation tools, sports and outdoor equipment, and clothing have been among the top categories.