Lawsuits claim app for online retailer Temu gains access to 'literally everything' on your phone
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- If you watched the Super Bowl, you know the name Temu. The company advertised heavily during the big game.
What you may not know is consumers have filed more than 900 complaints against it with the Better Business Bureau in just the past 14 months since the company launched.
According to research from BabyCenter, more than one in three parents have bought or received items from Temu, which is owned by a Chinese company.
BabyCenter says its review of the website has found products that have been recalled, could be counterfeit or circumvent U.S. safety standards and features that are important in preventing issues like choking.
RELATED: Baby safety group warns about products sold by popular online retailer Temu
"And that can happen either because a toy has small parts, or if it's made of materials that might break off easily. And then suddenly, it creates a small part that can get lodged in your child's throat," said Robin Hilmantel of BabyCenter. "So unfortunately, you might save a few bucks but create a safety hazard."
Temu tells Action News, in part: "Child safety is our absolute priority... We have a multi-layered safety system in place. This includes rigorous merchant vetting, pre-listing product reviews with safety documentation checks, and random spot checks in our warehouses. We hold our sellers accountable, taking strict action against those who violate our platform rules or safety regulations."
Complaints at the Better Business Bureau include poor quality and shipping delays, as well as misuse of customer information, which worries security experts.
"I certainly would not use it on on my device," said Rob D'Ovidio, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Criminology at Drexel University.
Two class-action lawsuits related to privacy have been filed against Temu claiming Temu "gains access to literally everything on your phone" and the app is "loaded with tools to execute virulent and dangerous malware and spyware activities."
"When the app can get access to your photos and videos, just by you downloading it and installing it. That's that's pretty concerning," said D'Ovidio.
Temu categorically denies the allegations and calls the lawsuits "meritless". It also says in part, "At Temu, safeguarding privacy and maintaining transparency in our data practices are core values."
The BBB says it is now working closely with Temu to address concerns.
Better Business Bureau Statement on Temu:
Temu has engaged with BBB and is working to respond to concerns raised by consumers. Consumers are encouraged to visit the BBB Business Profile on Temu for the latest information on the company and BBB resources about safe online shopping.
Temu Full Statement on Quality and Safety:
"Child safety is our absolute priority. We understand the deep trust parents place in us, and we take that responsibility very seriously. We have a multi-layered safety system in place. This includes rigorous merchant vetting, pre-listing product reviews with safety documentation checks, and random spot checks in our warehouses. We hold our sellers accountable, taking strict action against those who violate our platform rules or safety regulations. We actively welcome customer feedback, constantly monitoring for potential issues and working closely with regulatory and consumer groups to ensure swift corrective action whenever necessary."
Temu Full Statement on Privacy & Lawsuits:
"We categorically deny the allegations in both lawsuits and intend to vigorously defend ourselves against these meritless lawsuits. The complaints are essentially taken from a short-seller report by Grizzly Research, which has stated clearly that its reports are not based on statements of fact.
At Temu, safeguarding privacy and maintaining transparency in our data practices are core values. We collect information with a clear and singular purpose: to provide and continually enhance our products and services for our users. Our practices are in line with industry practices and clearly disclosed in our Privacy Policy.
When disclosing data collection practices, we adhere to the principle of maximum disclosure. If there's a possibility that data will be collected in any given scenario, we disclose it. This is in line with the requirements for developers set by application marketplaces like Apple's App Store and Google Play Store. However, when it comes to the actual collection and use of data, we follow the principle of minimality, meaning we only collect and use data necessary for specific, justified scenarios.
Even though the Grizzly Research report was completely groundless, we recognize the need to communicate our data practices and security protocols to users in an open and transparent manner, and have taken steps to improve the communication.
Temu has added a permissions section in the Temu app and website to clearly elaborate on what permissions they require to ensure data minimization and transparency.
In November, Temu partnered with San Francisco-based cybersecurity agency HackerOne to offer a bug bounty program. Temu joins the likes of Amazon, Google, Tesla and Facebook in using HackerOne's platform to connect and reward ethical hackers for successfully discovering and reporting security vulnerabilities. We have also rolled out two-factor authentication (2FA) in November as an additional layer of security protection.
In February, Temu received the Mobile Application Security Assessment (MASA) certification from Berlin-founded DEKRA, the world's largest independent provider of testing, inspection, and certification services. DEKRA is one of six labs authorized by Google to conduct the MASA test, which involves testing an app for vulnerabilities, assessing data protection mechanisms, and ensuring compliance with best practices in mobile application security.
Temu considers privacy and security to be core functions of our platform. Earning and keeping the trust of our users is our top priority, so we hold ourselves to the highest privacy and security standards. We are committed to collaborating with various stakeholders to identify and address vulnerabilities, increasing the transparency of security testing, and ensuring the safety of our businesses and customers. Users can rest assured that shopping on Temu is safe."
