Arizona's attorney general is suing Chinese online retailer Temu, alleging the popular app is harvesting sensitive user data. Kris Mayes announced the lawsuit Tuesday, warning that Temu's software collects a "shocking" amount of personal information from users' devices—including their GPS locations and lists of other apps on their phones—without proper consent. "It can detect everywhere you go ... so the scope of this invasion of privacy is enormous," Mayes said, per the AP, describing the alleged privacy breach as "possibly the gravest violation" ever of Arizona's consumer fraud law.
The lawsuit claims Temu's app contains code similar to spyware or malware, enabling it to extract data from users' phones while hiding its actions. Investigators found that portions of the app's code had been banned in previous versions. One concern is that, as a Chinese company, Temu could be compelled under Chinese law to share customer data with the Chinese government.
Mayes also accuses Temu of using forced labor, deceiving customers about product quality, faking reviews, and copying intellectual property from well-known Arizona brands, including the Arizona Cardinals and Arizona State University. The lawsuit follows similar legal actions filed in Kentucky, Nebraska, and Arkansas. Mayes urged Arizonans to delete their Temu accounts, uninstall the app, and check their devices for malware, noting that simply deleting the app might not be enough to stop location tracking, per KSAZ.
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