Everyone loves a deal these days, whether it’s a buy one get one free deal, or something being fifty percent off. But the true cost of these deals may be more expensive than meets the eye.
In September of 2022, a hot new website called Temu rose to popularity in the US. It was known for its cheap prices, and fast shipping times, claiming to connect the supplier and customer directly. The brand also gained fame due to its limitless assortment of items, ranging anywhere from clothes to pet gadgets. Despite this popularity, the company did however end up in a class action lawsuit for supposedly not protecting customers personal information well enough.
Though the website didn’t make its way to the US until September of 2022, it was originally founded in China three months earlier in July. Many brands based in China, like Shein and Aliexpress, have faced backlash in the past due to findings of things such as child labor and little pay to their workers. Many believed Temu was the brand to break these stereotypes, however it was recently found it could be much worse.
Over the span of the fourteen months that website has been used, over 900 complaints have been filed. Many of these complaints relate to the quality of the products, and the amount of time it took for said products to ship.
“I mean, it was alright, I only got a couple of things,” past Newtown High School Student, Cassie Fossum said. Fossum then went on to explain how multiple of her shipments came both late, and with many of the contents broken.
Though many complaints were due to the quality of the items, the complaints that stuck out were the ones that had to do with the company’s privacy policy. Many speculated pieces of their personal information, such as phone numbers or credit card numbers, were being stolen from the company.
The overwhelming amount of information being stolen was due to the company cutting budgeting on their security measures in order to save money and make products cheaper. Though this was occurring, Temu did not disclose any of this information to customers until it was seemingly too late.
“I definitely don’t trust [Temu] as much as I thought I would… They definitely did something with my phone number, because I’ve been getting a lot of scam texts and calls” NHS senior, Alex Kirkman, stated.
Further accusations about the company's privacy policy have generated major worries. Customers have expressed concerns that their personal information, such as phone numbers and credit card information, may have been exposed. This data breach resulted from Temu cutting security measures to reduce costs and offer more affordable products, a decision that customers were unaware of until it was too late.
In addition to the security concerns, Temu is under investigation for potential use of child labor, while Its sister company, Pinduoduo, is facing investigations for selling illegal and counterfeit items.
The Temu investigation highlights the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in our society. While significant progress has been made, the pursuit of justice continues.
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