Flagging Online Listings of Unsafe Products (F.O.L.O.U.P.)

1️⃣ Introduction

F.O.L.O.U.P. is designed to identify unsafe products sold on online platforms such as eBay, Amazon, Etsy, and TikTok Shop. The goal is to protect UK consumers from potentially hazardous products and improve marketplace safety.

2️⃣ Methodology

• Web Scraping – Extracting data from platforms to identify flagged items.
• Data Processing – Cross-checking products with safety recalls and government alerts.
• Automation – Using Selenium & BeautifulSoup to refine searches and improve accuracy.
• Validation – Comparing results with government safety agencies like OPSS and Trading Standards UK.

3️⃣ Key Development Milestones

• Scraping Association Logos – Correcting extraction methods for industry groups.
• Navigation Menu – Creating a unified menu system (menu.php) for consistent UI.
• Data Table Structuring – Standardizing British Standards product listings.
• Consumer Protection Research – Identifying flaws in Amazon/eBay’s safety regulations.

4️⃣ Challenges & Solutions

• 🚨 Incorrect Logo Extraction – Fixed issues with relative URLs and filtering.
• 🚨 Page Navigation Consistency – Built a reusable menu system.
• 🚨 Product Safety Investigations – Compiled reports on dangerous items sold online.

5️⃣ Future Development & Expansion

• Implement AI-powered detection for hazardous listings.
• Improve tracking via machine learning algorithms.
• Partner with UK consumer protection agencies for real-world impact.