Lawsuits Claim Temu Shopping App Gives Company Access To 'Literally Everything' On Users' Phones
Over a dozen plaintiffs allege Temu has the capability to access "everything" on customers' phones.
Fox-5 reports that a group of plaintiffs from various states, including Massachusetts, California, Illinois, New York, and Virginia, are jointly filing a lawsuit against Temu. The collective claim accuses the Chinese-owned company of intentionally embedding malware and spyware in the app.
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Furthermore, the lawsuit contends that Temu is misleading its customers regarding the intended use of data collected from their phones.
Multiple proposed class action lawsuits raise concerns about a alleged privacy trade-off linked to Temu's notably low prices.
One lawsuit accuses Temu of utilizing spyware and malware, allegedly collecting "user data beyond what is necessary for an online shopping app" and gaining access to "literally everything on your phone."
In a separate proposed class action suit, Temu is alleged to fall short in protecting data. The claim suggests the "failure to secure and safeguard its customers' personal data."
The lawsuit against Temu allege violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, and Massachusetts privacy laws. The ultimate goal of the plaintiffs and the specific impact of the app on each individual remain unclear.
The Hagens Berman Law Firm initiated the class action lawsuit on Feb. 16, representing the group in this legal action, according to Boston-25.
A spokesperson for Temu refuted the allegations made in the lawsuit.
"We categorically deny the allegations and intend to vigorously defend ourselves against this meritless lawsuit. The complaints parrot a report put out by a short-seller, calling itself Grizzly Research, which has an obvious incentive to try to drive down Temu's stock price through misinformation," according to WHIO-7. "The report even includes a disclaimer that its contents are 'not statements of fact.'"
