Of course it does! Temu gathers a significant amount of user data (Data Harvesting) and appears to do so without their explicit consent or knowledge[1][2][3][4][5].
Examples:
- Temu collects personal information such as names, addresses, phone numbers, birthdays, pictures, and links to social media profiles[2][3].
- The app monitors user activity on other apps, tracks notifications, location, and changes device settings[3][4].
- Temu gains full access to users’ contacts, calendars, photo albums, social media accounts, chats and texts[4].
- A class action lawsuit alleges Temu secretly tracks users’ internet activity through its in-app browser, injecting hidden code to monitor offsite activity and record details like names, addresses, financial information and Social Security numbers[5].
- Temu’s parent company PDD Holdings is based in China, raising concerns about the company’s data privacy practices and potential sharing of user data with its China headquarters[2][4][5].
In summary, while offering seemingly unbeatable prices, Temu appears to engage in aggressive and non-transparent data collection practices that many consider unethical and potentially illegal. Experts advise users to be cautious when sharing personal information with the app.
Citations:
[1] https://nymag.com/strategist/article/what-is-temu-legit-safe.html
[2] https://dataconomy.com/2023/10/02/temu-data-harvesting-allegations/
[3] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/komando/2023/04/20/delete-temu-app-cybersecurity-expert-advice/11667796002/
[4] https://www.snopes.com/news/2023/06/05/temu-shopping-app-scam-china-spyware/
[5] https://www.classaction.org/news/data-breach-class-action-claims-temus-in-app-web-browser-secretly-tracks-users