Arkansas
Online retailer Temu responds to news of lawsuit from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Online retailer Temu has offered a response two days after being sued by the state of Arkansas.
In a response sent to KARK 4 News Thursday, a Temu spokesperson said the company was “surprised and disappointed” by Attorney General Tim Griffin filing the lawsuit Tuesday without what the company called “any independent fact-finding.”
In a statement released by Griffin’s office announcing the suit, the AG referred to Temu as “functionally malware and spyware,” and claimed the app was “purposefully designed to gain unrestricted access to a user’s phone operating system.”
Temu’s response stated that the allegations behind Griffin’s suit were “based on misinformation circulated online, primarily from a short-seller, and are totally unfounded.” The statement went on to say that the company would “vigorously defend ourselves” in the case.
News of the lawsuit drew sharp reactions from Arkansans who shop on Temu, many of whom said the retailer had reliable prices and deals they called “sometimes too good to pass on.”
Other shoppers said that they believe most online retailers use personal information from users anyway and questioned whether the suit would stop anyone from shopping on Temu.
The statement from Temu noted that some people may misunderstand what the company called its “innovative supply chain model” and not welcome the new retailer, but the spokesperson added that the company was committed to the long-term believes scrutiny will benefit the retailer’s development.
“We are confident that our actions and contributions to the community will speak for themselves over time,” the response finished.
FULL RESPONSE FROM TEMU TO ARKANSAS LAWSUIT
We are surprised and disappointed by the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office for filing the lawsuit without any independent fact-finding. The allegations in the lawsuit are based on misinformation circulated online, primarily from a short-seller, and are totally unfounded. We categorically deny the allegations and will vigorously defend ourselves.
We understand that as a new company with an innovative supply chain model, some may misunderstand us at first glance and not welcome us. We are committed to the long-term and believe that scrutiny will ultimately benefit our development. We are confident that our actions and contributions to the community will speak for themselves over time.
Temu spokesperson
Officials with the AG’s office said the case is predicated on alleged violations of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the Arkansas Personal Information Protection Act.
The state wants a jury trial and is seeking a permanent block from Temu’s data-gathering actions, as well as $10,000 fines for each violation of the Deceptive Practices Act.
Rex Nelson
Rex Nelson has been senior editor and columnist at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette since 2017, and he has a biweekly podcast called “Southern Fried.”
After graduating from Ouachita Baptist University in 1981, he was a sportswriter for the Arkansas Democrat for a year before becoming editor of Arkadelphia’s Daily Siftings Herald. He was the youngest editor of a daily in Arkansas at age 23. Rex was then news and sports director at KVRC-KDEL from 1983-1985.
He returned to the Democrat as assistant sports editor in 1985. From 1986-1989, he was its Washington correspondent. He left to be Jackson T. Stephens’ consultant.
Rex became the Democrat-Gazette’s first political editor in 1992, but left in 1996 to join then-Gov. Mike Huckabee’s office. He also served from 2005-09 in the administration of President George W. Bush.
From 2009-2018, he worked stints at the Communications Group, Arkansas’ Independent Colleges and Universities, and Simmons First National Corp.
Dylan Sherman
Dylan Sherman is a business reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He is based in Northwest Arkansas and focuses on Tyson Foods Inc. and the transportation industry. A graduate of the University of Missouri, he has been with the newspaper since 2023.
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