- The app has faced scrutiny over excessive data collection and past malware allegations against its sister app, Pinduoduo, raising fears of CCP surveillance.
- Ken Paxton sued Temu and Lorex, accusing them of enabling CCP-linked data harvesting and posing national security risks to Americans.
- Despite being sold to a Taiwan-based firm, Lorex allegedly maintains links to Dahua Technology, a blacklisted Chinese firm complicit in Uyghur persecution.
- Chinese firms embed surveillance in consumer products (routers, drones, e-commerce apps) to harvest Western data for espionage and control.
- Experts warn that unchecked expansion of CCP-linked tech demands stricter regulations and consumer vigilance to protect privacy and national security.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed lawsuits against Lorex and Temu, two companies suspected of maintaining deep connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These legal actions, announced on Feb. 19, mark the third and fourth lawsuits Paxton has brought in just three days, following similar cases against router manufacturer TP-Link and drone-maker Anzu Robotics. Paxton alleges that these companies pose significant risks to American privacy and national security by enabling CCP-linked surveillance and data harvesting.
"Any company that allows the Chinese Communist Party to threaten Americans' safety and security will face the full force of the law," Paxton declared in a statement. The lawsuits underscore growing concerns over Chinese tech infiltration into Western markets, particularly through consumer-facing products that collect vast amounts of personal data.
Lorex, a Canada-based surveillance camera company, was previously owned by Dahua Technology, a Chinese firm blacklisted by the U.S. government in 2019 for aiding the CCP’s persecution of Uyghur Muslims—an atrocity the U.S. has classified as genocide. Dahua, which supplies security cameras globally—including to Vatican City, the Rio Olympics and London—was later designated by the Pentagon as a Chinese military-linked company in 2021.
In 2022, just one day before a federal ban on Dahua equipment was set to take effect, the company sold Lorex to Taiwan-based Skywatch. Despite this transfer, Paxton’s lawsuit alleges that Dahua has maintained influence over Lorex's operations, raising concerns about potential backdoors in its surveillance devices. Nebraska previously filed a similar lawsuit against Lorex last year, citing security vulnerabilities that could allow unauthorized access to private footage.
Lorex has denied these allegations, stating, "We fully intend to contest the allegations made by the Attorney General, and we are confident that a fair hearing will determine that Lorex has taken the appropriate steps to safeguard customer privacy."
Temu accused of operating as CCP spyware
The lawsuit against Temu, a wildly popular Chinese e-commerce app, paints an even more alarming picture. Owned by PDD Holdings, Temu has amassed over 82 million active U.S. users by offering heavily discounted products—from clothing to electronics. However, cybersecurity experts warn that the app engages in excessive data collection, raising suspicions that it functions as a CCP surveillance tool.
Paxton's lawsuit describes Temu as "Chinese Communist spyware disguised as a shopping app," alleging that it bypasses standard security protocols to harvest sensitive user information. The complaint cites Google's 2023 suspension of Temu's sister app, Pinduoduo, after malware was discovered in its code—a troubling precedent for Temu's operations.
A 2023 report by Grizzly Research further concluded that Temu poses a national security risk due to its intrusive permissions, which grant it unprecedented access to users' devices. "Temu utilizes dangerous software functions that are completely inappropriate for a simple e-commerce retailer," Paxton stated, accusing the company of deceiving consumers about its true intentions.
These lawsuits are part of a wider pushback against CCP-linked tech firms operating in the U.S. Earlier this year, Texas blacklisted Dahua, Temu, Alibaba, TP-Link and other Chinese companies from state contracts due to security concerns. The move reflects growing bipartisan alarm over Beijing's exploitation of consumer technology for espionage and control.
Experts warn that apps like Temu and hardware from companies like Lorex represent just the tip of the iceberg in China's long-term strategy to infiltrate Western infrastructure. By embedding surveillance capabilities into everyday products—from routers to baby monitors—the CCP gains unprecedented access to private data, which can be weaponized for blackmail, disinformation and even sabotage.
The need for vigilance against digital threats
The rise of Temu and similar platforms highlights a critical vulnerability in the modern digital economy: the unchecked expansion of authoritarian-aligned tech firms into Western markets. As governments and consumers become increasingly aware of these risks, the demand for transparency and cybersecurity safeguards grows louder.
Paxton's lawsuits serve as a crucial step in holding these companies accountable, but broader action is needed. Policymakers must enforce stricter regulations on foreign-owned tech firms, while consumers must remain vigilant—avoiding apps and devices that prioritize surveillance over privacy.
Ultimately, the fight against CCP-linked digital infiltration is not just about protecting personal data—it's about defending the foundational freedoms that authoritarian regimes seek to undermine. By exposing these threats and demanding accountability, we can push back against the creeping erosion of privacy and autonomy in the digital age.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Texas Attorney General's move to hold Chinese-linked companies accountable for national security violations is a critical step in defending American sovereignty and free speech from communist infiltration. This bold action aligns with the urgent need to protect our elections and institutions from foreign interference, as outlined in the broader worldview exposing globalist subversion.
Watch this video about China seeking world domination.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
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