The Home Intelligence Committee is requesting a briefing from the FBI and Securities Alternate Fee on Chinese language Communist Occasion-linked e-commerce firm Temu and its guardian firm Pinduoduo (PDD) amid issues of exploitation of U.S. knowledge.
Fox Information Digital obtained a letter led by Home Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, and Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Sick., addressed to FBI Director Christopher Wray and SEC Chairman Gary Gensler.
The lawmakers wrote relating to 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.
In 2023, Google suspended the PDD app, arguing it “exploited a zero-day vulnerability that allows them to surreptitiously take control of millions of end-user devices to steal personal data and install malicious apps.”
The lawmakers harassed that they’re “concerned about the protection of Americans’ data.”
“Analogous to Congress’ action on TikTok, the relationship between the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese national security laws, and Americans’ data must be understood,” they wrote. “We have concerns that the CCP has undertaken yet another attempt to exploit the democracy, free market principles, and the personal and economic data of the United States.”
The lawmakers at the moment are requesting a joint briefing from the FBI and the SEC on whether or not the bureau has supplied any intelligence to the SEC relating to the problems associated to Temu and PDD.
The lawmakers are additionally demanding solutions on whether or not any legal guidelines or insurance policies are standing in the way in which of knowledge sharing between the intelligence group and the SEC and extra.
The letter was signed by each Republican member on the Home Intelligence Committee.
“The relationship between Temu, their parent company PInduoduo, and the Chinese Communist Party’s national security laws raise serious concerns that the CCP has taken another effort, beyond TikTok, to exploit Americans’ data and undermine our democracy,” LaHood advised Fox Information Digital.
LaHood stated Temu has “abused our trade laws” and warned that its Chinese language possession “has elevated the risk to American consumers, with the potential to allow private and sensitive data to be transferred to foreign adversaries.”
“Given the widespread and growing public security concerns regarding Temu, which is listed on the NASDAQ, it’s critical that our federal partners at the FBI and SEC brief the Intelligence Committee to ensure Congress conducts proper oversight on growing threats from the CCP,” LaHood stated.
The demand for a briefing comes amid issues from officers in states throughout the nation alleging the “disturbing” assortment of U.S. shopper knowledge and unlawful pressured labor practices.
Final 12 months, the Home Intelligence Committee revealed “disturbing information about Temu’s failure to comply with American laws prohibiting the use of forced labor by Uyghurs.”
Temu, on the time, admitted it didn’t have a coverage in place to ban the sale of products from Xinjiang, the placement of the CCP’s ongoing genocide in opposition to Uyghurs.
Temu additionally stated it isn’t topic to the Uyghur Pressured Labor Prevention Act.
Temu didn’t reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
