Federal officials are raising red flags over TP-Link, warning their products might be linked to Chinese espionage. Plus, Redbox files for bankruptcy, Taylor Swift drops cassettes, and Apple’s next iPhone features AI.
Temu class-action lawsuit: Is the cheap shopping app worth downloading? (No!)
I saw this coming. I’ve been warning about the shopping app Temu since April when its sister app, Pinduoduo, was caught planting malware. It was spying on other apps, reading notifications and messages, and even changing settings.
The U.S. government accused Temu of data risks … and now the lawsuits are here. A class-action filed in Illinois says the Chinese app collects more info than it needs and than it discloses.
Why in the world are people still using it? The deals, of course!
On a slow boat from China
An HD Wi-Fi security cam for $6.98. An Android fitness watch for $8.38. A $7.99 wedding dress feels like bad vibes, with even the cake in tiers.
You might get lucky and find a gem that matches the description, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Shipping is slow, too, since they’re coming from China.
In exchange for those cheap goods and prices, Temu makes money with your data. The app requests 24 permissions on your device, including access to your Wi-Fi network info, Bluetooth, photos and videos, contact info and payment details. Yikes.
What about the website?
If the app is off-limits, is the website safe to use? Sorry, but no. You’re still handing over (at a minimum) your full name, address, phone number, email and payment details. To make matters worse, Temu does not support two-factor authentication (2FA). That makes your account so much easier for thieves to breach. No Bueno!
The more permissions an app requests
… the more you should consider whether it’s worth having on your smartphone. Don’t see the big deal? Think about all you do on your phone: Have private conversations with friends, log into your bank app, type in passwords, enter your credit card info and more.
Keep these security smarts in mind before you hit “install” on Temu:
$16,000 price tag
For a 4-foot-tall robot. A “humanoid agent AI avatar,” to be exact. Chinese robotics company Unitree’s latest model can walk, run, lift about four pounds and … uh, that’s about it. When is two hours not long? When we’re talking about this robot’s battery dying instead of the duration of something else in your life.
“He’s replaced me with ChatGPT”: A 25-year-old said her dad, a first-generation Chinese American, has replaced her with AI. Dad now uses AI instead of asking her for help translating, composing emails and keeping all his dad jokes in a dad-abase.
Ford’s new EV strategy has a $1.9B price tag: The automaker is shifting its focus from huge trucks and SUVs to smaller, more affordable EVs to compete with Chinese rivals. A commercial van is coming in 2026, followed by a midsized pickup and the T3 full-sized pickup.
Get Temu off your phone now
TikTok isn’t the only Chinese app to worry about. A shopping app, downloaded by millions of Americans, uses sneaky tactics to monitor users. We spoke with Titan Crawford, founder of the Facebook group PDX Stolen Cars, which has helped recover over 3,000 stolen cars in Portland.
Use the NewsBreak app? Delete it
The most downloaded news app in the U.S. likely has ties to the Chinese military and was just caught using AI to fabricate stories. Here’s the scoop.
Spies want in on your router
Is yours at risk? Hackers’ new side hustle is charging Chinese and Russian spies and scammers for access to old home routers so they can launch denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Plus, Google blocks romance writer, worst airlines for luggage, and Microsoft gets hacked.
Cybercriminals and spies targeting routers: Hackers’ new side hustle is charging Chinese and Russian spies and scammers for access to old routers so they can launch denial-of-service (DoS) attacks or send scammy spam emails. If your device is more than three years old, it’s time to upgrade.
China preps to hack the U.S.
The FBI says Chinese gov-backed hackers are waiting to ‘deal a devastating blow.’ Plus, Taylor Swift’s album leaks, Meta’s AI chatbot goes live, and lots of big retailers are shutting down (so long, 99 Cents Only store).
27.9% of fingerprints
Chinese and U.S. researchers can recreate more than one-fourth of fingerprint biometric scans by sound alone. No kidding, your fingerprints make sounds when you swipe your touchscreens.