In recent years, China’s attempts to spy on America have been relentless. From hacking government databases to sneaking surveillance balloons across U.S. airspace, Beijing seems to be playing a never-ending game of espionage. Remember the massive breach at the Office of Personnel Management back in 2015?

That’s when China stole personal information from over 20 million Americans, including fingerprints and background checks. Then there’s the TikTok saga—another seemingly innocent app that many believe is a Trojan horse for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to grab U.S. data.

And what’s been the Biden-Harris administration’s response? Not exactly inspiring. Sure, they talk tough at times, but when it comes to action, it’s been more bark than bite. Whether it’s TikTok or those spy balloons, they seem to react only after public pressure forces their hand.

The administration’s overall approach to China has been weak, leaving the country vulnerable to CCP exploitation. And the list of incidents keeps growing, which brings us to the latest: Temu and its parent company Pinduoduo.

From Fox Business:
The lawmakers wrote regarding Temu and PDD, noting PDD is listed on the NASDAQ and “subject to United States’ Securities and Exchange Commission purview.”

“Multiple entities, ranging from U.S. Senators, to the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, states’ Attorneys General, and countless others, have previously raised alarm over the practices of Temu and PDD — ranging from possible trade, slave labor, and national security concerns,” they wrote.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: What’s Temu? It’s an e-commerce company that’s become a rising star in online shopping. Seems harmless, right? Not so fast. Lawmakers are sounding the alarm because Temu and Pinduoduo, both linked to the CCP, are under scrutiny for exploiting U.S. data.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner and Rep. Darin LaHood are asking the FBI and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to investigate. They’re concerned that Temu could be the latest tool the CCP is using to gather information on Americans—just like TikTok.

But there’s more. The accusations against Temu go beyond spying. Arkansas’ attorney general is suing them for deceptive practices and invasion of privacy. Apparently, this isn’t just about shopping—Temu’s app allegedly has the ability to exploit vulnerabilities in your phone, steal your data, and install malware.

If that doesn’t sound like a company with your best interests at heart, I don’t know what does.

It gets worse. Last year, Google even suspended Pinduoduo’s app for using a zero-day vulnerability to sneakily take control of users’ devices. This isn’t a hypothetical threat—it’s happening.

Temu and Pinduoduo’s practices are raising alarms across the board, and lawmakers are worried about the potential transfer of sensitive data to China. The CCP has a history of using private companies as extensions of its government, so when a company like Temu is linked to Beijing, it’s not unreasonable to suspect something sinister is at play.

The lawmakers’ concerns go beyond data security, though. There are also accusations of forced labor. In Xinjiang, the CCP is carrying out a genocide against the Uyghur people, forcing them into labor camps. Temu’s parent company, Pinduoduo, admitted that it doesn’t have a policy to prevent the sale of goods made by forced labor. That’s a huge problem.

The U.S. has laws prohibiting the import of products made with forced labor, but Temu doesn’t seem to think those laws apply to them. And they’ve said as much, claiming they’re not subject to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Talk about dodging responsibility.

Rep. LaHood, who’s been vocal about this issue, warned that Temu’s Chinese ownership puts American consumers at risk. He’s right. We’re not just talking about getting cheap goods from an online store.

The data Temu collects could be handed over to the CCP, giving them insight into American consumer habits, personal details, and even economic data. It’s a nightmare scenario when you think about how much information you share every time you make an online purchase.

The House Intelligence Committee wants answers from the FBI and the SEC. They want to know if there are any legal or policy obstacles preventing intelligence sharing between these agencies. It’s a fair question.

Why haven’t we seen more aggressive action on this front? The CCP isn’t shy about exploiting our free-market system, and yet we seem to be dragging our feet in holding companies like Temu accountable.

The scary thing is, Temu is just one of many Chinese companies operating in the U.S. under the guise of commerce. But behind that friendly shopping app is a potential security threat. Lawmakers are waking up to this reality, but it feels like the Biden administration is still hitting snooze.

So, what now? Congress is pressing for more oversight, but the real question is whether the government will act quickly enough to stop the CCP’s grip from tightening even further.

We can’t afford to wait for another data breach or another revelation that Chinese firms are using our own systems against us. It’s time to take a hard look at these so-called “harmless” apps before it’s too late. And maybe, just maybe, we should start asking ourselves: Why is the Biden administration letting this happen?

Key Takeaways:

• China-linked e-commerce company Temu is under investigation for potential data exploitation and forced labor practices.
• Lawmakers are pressing the FBI and SEC for answers on how the Chinese Communist Party might be using Temu to gather U.S. consumer data.
• Concerns are growing over Temu’s failure to comply with American laws, including those prohibiting goods made with forced labor.

Source: Fox Business