Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, joined by 20 other state attorneys general, is pressing online retailer Temu for explanations regarding alarming issues tied to the company’s operations.
These include potential violations of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and concerning data practices that might involve sharing information with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Attorney General Moody expressed grave concerns: “Recent congressional investigations suggest that Temu may be selling products made with forced labor from regions in China where the CCP is accused of committing genocide. Additionally, there are alarming indications that Temu could be collecting and transmitting U.S. consumer data to the CCP. These issues raise significant concerns not just for consumer protection but for national security.”
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In a formal letter addressed to the president of Temu and the CEO of PDD Holdings, Temu’s parent company, the attorneys general outlined their worries following reports that the retailer might be non-compliant with U.S. laws designed to prevent the sale of goods made through forced labor. Despite these laws, Temu acknowledged its lack of policies to block sales from Xinjiang, the region heavily scrutinized for human rights violations against the Uyghurs.
The letter from the attorneys general also highlights the lack of a robust compliance system at Temu, citing ongoing violations of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act with forced labor products reportedly entering the U.S. market.
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The group of attorneys general has posed several critical questions to Temu, seeking detailed explanations within the next 30 days on issues such as:
- The nature of U.S. consumer data collection and its security,
- Interaction with the CCP concerning data sharing,
- Measures to ensure that the products sold are free from slave labor,
- Steps taken to safeguard the digital security of their platform users,
- Procedures regarding consumer notifications of product safety and recalls.
Joining Attorney General Moody in this initiative are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, all united in seeking transparency and adherence to U.S. laws by Temu.
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