Photo: KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP / Getty Images
(Nebraska) -- The Nebraska Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against the Chinese shopping platform Temu.
Temu is a Chinese e-commerce platform launched in the U.S. in September 2022. Temu quickly became one of the most downloaded apps in the U.S., offering extremely low prices on a wide range of products including electronics, clothing, home goods, and toys.
Attorney General Mike Hilgers alleges that the company is unlawfully harvesting customer data and installing malware that gives it unrestricted access to users’ phones. The lawsuit also accuses the company of profiting from counterfeit products and using deceptive labeling.
The lawsuit outlines the following alleged unlawful practices:
- Employing malware to collect Nebraskan data
- Theft of Nebraskan data by the Chinese Communist Party
- Deceptive product listing practices
- Lack of a meaningful return process
- Allowing intellectual property infringement to thrive
- Misleading “local” labeling
- Greenwashing (making false environmental claims)
According to the office of Attorney General Hilgers, the lawsuit aims to stop the company’s alleged unlawful practices, penalize Temu for violating Nebraska law, and secure refunds for Nebraskan users.