The Chinese e-commerce giant is accused of deceptive business practices by the attorney general of the state of Arkansas in the United States. The application is actually malware, capable of stealing user data.
Is Temu, the Chinese online shopping site specializing in low-cost, malware that steals your data? The attorney general of the state of Arkansas filed a complaint on June 25 against the Chinese platform accused of deceptive commercial practices, according to The Verge.
“Temu claims to be an online shopping platform, but it is dangerous malware that grants itself, without users’ knowledge, access to virtually all data on a user’s cell phone” , said Tim Griffin, Attorney General of Arkansas.
Malware
According to the complaint, the application would have the ability to modify its code and transform into malware, malicious software to obtain confidential information. The application would thus have access to a host of personal information, such as location information, camera, contacts, messages or even documents shared on the user’s smartphone. All of this information would be sold to third parties. All without user consent.
A practice that is strangely reminiscent of that of Pinduoduo, another application of the PDD Holdings group, the operator of Temu. The application was suspended in 2023 from the Google Play Store due to security issues.
But Temu could be even more dangerous than Pinduoduo. According to a Grizzly Research study, the app “has the ability to hack users’ phones and bypass privacy settings.”
Accusations denied by the Chinese online commerce giant. A company spokesperson saidArstechnica that his accusations are based on “disinformation circulating online” and that they are “totally unfounded”. “We categorically deny these allegations and will vigorously defend ourselves.”
Contested methods
This is not the first time Temu has been singled out. Last May, a federation of European consumer associations filed a complaint against the Chinese e-commerce platform. The site was accused of manipulating Internet users and violating several provisions of the EU’s Digital Services Regulation (DSA).
At the end of March, Temu had to remove an offer launched in France and the United Kingdom which consisted of exploiting the personal data of customers, for life, in exchange for money or vouchers.
A month earlier, the European Toy Industries Federation had accused the site of selling toys that did not comply with European Union regulations. In fact, 95% presented a real danger to the safety of children.
