Temu sued by Kentucky for allegedly giving China ‘unfettered' access to user data
In a complaint filed in Woodford County Circuit Court, state attorneys asked for an injunction against Temu, an Amazon rival with a China-originating parent company, for what they described as "multifold" harms.
Kentucky investigators identified "code-level behaviors" in the Temu app that involved the collection of users' sensitive personal data in a manner that was not secure, in violation of state consumer protection laws, the attorneys said.
"These privacy and security harms are compounded both because the Temu app is purposely designed to evade detection … and because Defendants — by their own [acknowledgment] — have a portion of their operations located on mainland China, where cybersecurity laws allow the government unfettered access to data owned by Chinese businesses whenever it wishes," the attorneys wrote.
The complaint alleged that Temu improperly collects users' Wi-Fi and GPS information, as well as camera data without appropriate permission.
The attorneys also alleged that Temu brazenly sells products using stolen intellectual property of large and small brands, including that of Kentucky's historic horse racetrack in Louisville.
"As of the date of this filing, Temu features dozens of what appear to be unlicensed products claiming to be from Kentucky brands like the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Buffalo Trace Distillery and Churchill Downs," the complaint reads.
Temu's parent company is PDD Holdings, which originated in China but moved to Ireland. Before launching Temu in the United States in 2022, PDD Holdings founded Temu's sister company, Pinduoduo, a Chinese online retailer.
Temu has become known for its heavily discounted products and aggressive advertising strategy, which included three multimillion-dollar animated Super Bowl ads last year. Temu was Apple's most downloaded free app in 2023, according to TechCrunch.
Temu's tagline is "Shop like a billionaire," though its pricing structure has in recent months been disrupted by Trump's trade war with China.
Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman said the company's "cheap products and flashy marketing" distract from more insidious problems.
"Their platform can infect Kentuckians' devices with malware, steal their personal data and send it directly to the Chinese government," Coleman, an elected Republican and former U.S. attorney, said in a statement. "At the same time, they're eroding trust in some of Kentucky's most iconic brands, which could lead to job losses and hardship."
The lawsuit is the latest instance of Temu coming under scrutiny, mainly by Republicans, for its ties to China, a top U.S. adversary. Last year, 20 GOP state attorneys general demanded information from Temu's ownership about allegations brought by Congress that its China-based suppliers used forced labor. Temu denied the claim at the time.
Fox News Digital reached out to Temu for comment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
How The J. M. Smucker Company (SJM) Fits into the Food Dividend Stock Portfolio
The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is included among the 10 Best Food Stocks with Dividends. A wholesaler distributing peanut butter, fruit spreads and specialty spreads to a retailer. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) is recognized as a strong value in the food sector, with several successful brands under its belt. Notable performers include pet food lines like Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, as well as the well-liked Uncrustables sandwich products. The company paid a premium when it acquired Hostess Brands in November 2023. To refocus its efforts, the company recently sold off some brands from its Sweet Baked Snack segment, including Voortman, to concentrate more on the Hostess portfolio. Although the transition has been challenging, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) appears to be moving in the right direction. It anticipates full-year fiscal 2026 sales to grow by 2% to 4%, despite the effects of divesting certain Sweet Baked Snack value brands. The company is also expected to deliver strong earnings and free cash flow. In fiscal Q4 2025, The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) reported operating cash flow of $393.9 million, and its free cash flow was $298.9 million. During the quarter, the company returned $114.5 million to shareholders through dividends, reinforcing its commitment to investor return. This cash position enables the company to consistently raise its dividends. The J. M. Smucker Company (NYSE:SJM) declared a 1.9% hike in its quarterly dividend on July 16. This marked the company's 24th consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes it one of the best food stocks with dividends. The company now offers a quarterly dividend of $1.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.04%, as of July 27. While we acknowledge the potential of SJM as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Why Flowers Foods (FLO) is a Top Food Stock for Dividend Investors
Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) is included among the 10 Best Food Stocks with Dividends. A female baker in a spotless kitchen carefully decorating a cake. Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) is an American company that manufactures a range of bakery products for both retail and foodservice markets nationwide. Its offerings include items like fresh bread, buns, rolls, snack cakes, and tortillas. The company supplies these products to grocery stores, convenience outlets, and restaurants. Among its most recognized brands are Nature's Own, Whitewheat, Cobblestone Bread, Wonder, Dave's Killer Bread, Canyon Bakehouse, Mrs. Freshley's, and Tastykake. Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) has a strong cash position. In the most recent quarter, the company generated $135.6 million in operating cash flow, which grew by $30.5 million. The company also remained committed to its shareholder obligation, returning $52.3 million through dividends during the quarter, up $1.2 million from the previous quarter. Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:FLO) currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.2475 per share, having raised it by 3.1% in May. This was the company's 23rd consecutive year of dividend growth, which makes it one of the best food stocks with dividends. In addition, it has paid regular dividends to shareholders for 91 quarters in a row. The stock has a dividend yield of 6.09%, as of July 27. While we acknowledge the potential of FLO as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: READ NEXT: and Disclosure: None.
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Vice President JD Vance is on the road again to sell the Republicans' big new tax law
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President JD Vance is hitting his home state on Monday to continue promoting the GOP's sweeping tax-and-border bill. He will be in Canton, Ohio, to talk about the bill's 'benefits for hardworking American families and businesses,' according to his office. Aides offered little detail in advance about the visit, but NBC News reported that his remarks will take place at a steel plant in Canton, located about 60 miles south of Cleveland. The visit marks Vance's second trip this month to sell the package, filled with a hodgepodge of conservative priorities that Republicans have dubbed the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill' as the vice president becomes its chief promoter on the road. In West Pittston, Pennsylvania, Vance told attendees at an industrial machine shop that they should be able to keep more of their pay in their pockets, highlighting the law's new tax deductions on overtime. Vance also discussed a new children's savings program called Trump Accounts and how the new law promotes energy extraction, while decrying Democrats for opposing the bill that keeps the current tax rates, which would have otherwise expired later this year. The legislation cleared the GOP-controlled Congress by the narrowest of margins, with Vance breaking a tie vote in the Senate for the package that also sets aside hundreds of billions of dollars for Trump's immigration agenda while slashing Medicaid and food stamps. The vice president is also stepping up his public relations blitz on the bill as the White House tries to deflect attention away from the growing controversy over Jeffrey Epstein. The disgraced financier killed himself, authorities say, in a New York jail cell in 2019 as he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. Trump and his top allies stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein's death before Trump returned to the White House and are now reckoning with the consequences of a Justice Department announcement earlier this month that Epstein did indeed die by suicide and that no further documents about the case would be released. Questions about the case continued to dog Trump in Scotland, where he on Sunday announced a framework trade deal with the European Union. Asked about the timing of the trade announcement and the Epstein case and whether it was correlated, Trump responded: 'You got to be kidding with that." 'No, had nothing to do with it,' Trump told the reporter. 'Only you would think that." The White House sees the new law as a clear political boon, sending Vance to promote it in swing congressional districts that will determine whether Republicans retain their House majority next year. The northeastern Pennsylvania stop is in the district represented by Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a first-term lawmaker who knocked off a six-time Democratic incumbent last fall. On Monday, Vance will be in the district of Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes, who is a top target for the National Republican Congressional Committee this cycle. Polls before the bill's passage showed that it largely remained unpopular, although the public approves of some individual provisions such as increasing the child tax credit and allowing workers to deduct more of their tips on taxes.
