Advertisements on social media platforms always manage to catch you off guard. They entice you with unbelievably cheap deals like $1 “gold” necklaces or $1.69 for five pairs of socks. These tempting offers come from an online company known as TEMU, which has aggressively promoted itself across social media for the past 10 months. The vast number of ads on Facebook and other platforms are undoubtedly costly. Their strategy has paid off, as 50 million Americans have downloaded the app from Google Play, making it the top free app on Apple’s App Store.
However, I refuse to be swayed by these offers, and I have a simple reason for it: I value my online privacy. TEMU’s ads flood social media platforms, making it exceptionally popular. But I have reservations about downloading Chinese apps due to concerns about personal data theft. TEMU’s parent company, Pinduoduo (now known as PDD), was found guilty of installing malware on unsuspecting users’ devices, mining their data without their consent. It even made the app almost impossible to uninstall, leading to its removal from Google Play. Pinduoduo claims to have removed the malware, but rumors suggest that the responsible software engineer team was merely transferred to TEMU. Is it wise to have a Chinese app on one’s phone that can access all personal data, contacts, calendars, photo albums, social media accounts, chats, and texts?
Now, some may argue that all companies collect personal data to some extent. While this holds true, the concerns with Chinese apps go beyond simple data collection. Any data acquired by “private” companies in China is promptly handed over to the state, as Communist China is engaged in an extensive data collection effort. Companies like Alibaba and Pinduoduo are essential cogs in this machinery, willingly or not. In 2017, a law was passed in China requiring all companies to surrender any data relevant to national security, effectively giving it to the state. Fearing repercussions from the government, companies willingly comply. Therefore, when one downloads a Chinese app and registers, they essentially surrender their personal data to the Chinese Communist Party. This is something I refuse to do.
In reality, there are no truly private companies in China. Although the Chinese Communist Party incorporated capitalist aspects like joint-stock companies, boards of directors, and stock markets to attract Western investment and technology, it remains a facade. Intelligence expert William Evanina confirmed this during a recent questioning, stating that in his decade-long experience in the intelligence community, he had not encountered any private company in China that wasn’t owned, operated, or influenced by the Communist Party of China. Therefore, when you download a Chinese app, you are effectively entering into a relationship with the Chinese Communist Party – a political entity known for its brutality and historical atrocities.
Aside from the privacy concerns and the Communist Party’s influence, there are other reasons to avoid buying into the TEMU trend. Chinese-made products have been found to contain lead, heavy metals, and other harmful toxins. Additionally, products made of cotton are often linked to the exploitation of the Uyghur people, who are subjected to conditions resembling modern-day slavery. These items are banned under U.S. law but frequently shipped in unmonitored packages from China. Moreover, reports suggest that some products are manufactured under incredibly harsh conditions, with workers enduring long hours, collapsing from exhaustion, or even resorting to suicide due to overwork.
Hence, I choose not to be a part of the TEMU craze. I refuse to compromise my data or support a company that potentially exploits its workers or endangers the environment. My allegiance lies with protecting my privacy and ensuring the well-being of both myself and my country.
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