Do you use Temu? We’ll have to think about stopping. The Swiss National Test Institute for Cybersecurity (NTC) has just sounded the alarm after an in-depth analysis of the application. With nearly 93 million monthly users in the European Union, including 12 million in France, Temu boasts impressive sales scores thanks, in particular, to its extremely attractive prices. But behind its prices that would make the best negotiators pale lies a company with very dark practices.
Imagine an application capable of modifying itself, without your consent and without going through official updates from the App Store. This is exactly what Temu does. The application uses a system of “dynamic code loading” which allows it to change its functionalities discreetly. In short, While you’re bargain hunting, the app can potentially access your personal datayour browsing history, or even your private messages.
Even more worrying, Temu employs additional layers of encryption which, under the guise of protecting your data, could in reality be used to hide unwanted transfers of information. Using Temu means handing over the keys to your house to a stranger who would install their own locks without telling you what they are doing behind the doors.
Security threat and questionable business practices
Owned by Chinese giant PDD Holdings Inc., Temu transfers all your data to Chinese authorities. Chinese law requires companies to share their data with national intelligence services, an obligation that makes Western cybersecurity experts shudder. In the United States, the attorney general of Arkansas even called Temu a “dangerous malware”.
According to a study by Grizzly Research, the application would even have “the ability to hack users’ phones and bypass privacy settings”. And this is not the first time that PDD Holdings has been in the news: its other application, Pinduoduo, has already been banned from the Google Play Store in 2023 for similar security issues.
Beyond security issues, Temu does not shine with his ethics. Last March, the platform offered new users the opportunity to sell their personal data for a prize pool of 100 euros. A practice that says a lot about the value the company places on your privacy.
The data collected can be used for increasingly sophisticated phishing operations. “With data leaks increasing, malicious emails now contain very specific information such as the recipient’s date of birth or IBAN”explain At Figaro Benjamin Barrier, cybersecurity expert. Enough to make the scams much more credible and dangerous.
How to protect yourself without giving up good deals
The good news is that there is a simple solution to continue taking advantage of Temu’s low prices while protecting your data (if you want to). You can start by using the website rather than the app. Experts are unanimous: the website collects much less information and presents less risk to your privacy. If you absolutely must use the app, limit the permissions granted as much as possible. Disable access to your location, contacts and files. And above all, avoid saving your bank details there.
These recommendations should obviously be taken into consideration if and only if they are in line with your consumer values. Temu, Shein and others have been repeatedly singled out for their very questionable practices in terms of human rights and compliance with environmental standards. So much so that the European authorities got involved: an investigation was opened to determine whether Temu can continue to exist in Europe.
- The Temu application can be modified without your consent and access your personal data
- As a Chinese company, Temu is legally required to share your data with the Chinese government
- Temu is strongly criticized around the world and is even the subject of an investigation by European authorities
