Allegations Against TEMU: A Lawsuit Claims Malware Operations
A lawsuit filed on Wednesday by Nebraska’s Republican Attorney General Mike Hilgers claims that the popular Chinese shopping app TEMU functions like “malware,” aimed at harvesting data from U.S. users.
The legal action accuses TEMU and its parent company, PDD, of allowing access to sensitive U.S. information by the Communist Party of China (CCP). “Sure, Temu has plenty of affordable products,” the lawsuit suggests, “but there’s a catch for American users.”
According to Hilgers, “Temu’s apps operate like malware. The code is crafted to pull in a considerable amount of sensitive information, even enough to potentially monitor a user’s microphone, photos, messages, and movements.” He also points out that the platform is filled with products that infringe on copyrights and other intellectual property rights, indicating a form of “greenwashing.”
The lawsuit claims that users’ data includes GPS locations, details about other apps on their devices, as well as accounts linked to various apps and network data like Wi-Fi or cellular information.
Interestingly, non-U.S. users represented 90% of the app’s 405 million global users in the second quarter of the year, although recent reports noted a 52% drop in daily active U.S. users in May.
Temu made its debut in the United States in July 2022. There’s a cautionary thought for American consumers: “When you’re tempted by a deal linked to the Chinese Communist Party, it usually has strings attached.”
In a statement, Hilgers expressed concerns about the nature of Temu’s business: “Temu is turning retail into a means for data extraction.” He described the app’s low prices as bait that encourages users to download potentially harmful software, linking it to issues like slave labor practices. Similar to TikTok, TEMU’s terms reportedly grant the CCP unrestricted access to American users’ data, which could jeopardize both privacy and national safety.
In response to the allegations, a Temu representative dismissed them as “rehashes of misinformation circulating online,” often attributed to short sellers. The spokesperson insisted, “We will vigorously defend ourselves against these claims. Our goal at Temu is to provide quality products at reasonable prices while maintaining stable pricing and reliable supply.”
In related developments, Congress passed a law in April 2024 mandating that TikTok’s Chinese parent company either divest from the platform or face a ban in the U.S. However, discussions about extending the deadline have occurred, including proposals from former President Donald Trump.
