Chinese E-commerce Giant Temu Raises Data Privacy Concerns in Morocco

Barely arrived, Temu is worrying its users. If the Chinese e-commerce giant has managed to carve out a place for itself by selling clothes, cosmetics, household items and gadgets at prices defying all competition - shoes for less than $3, electronic devices for a few dollars, earphones sold for only 20 dirhams ($2) - Moroccans are wondering for what purposes their personal data is used. Is Temu sharing it with the Chinese government? For now, there is no concrete evidence. The data collection methods of the application have been the subject of close scrutiny, especially after the temporary suspension of its sister site Pinduoduo by Google due to malware issues, reports Morocco World News, adding that some officials in the United States, where Temu is also popular, have accused it of being linked to "foreign adversaries".

In Europe, the Beuc, the federation defending consumers in the European Union, accuses the application of using deceptive practices. European consumer associations have also filed complaints against the e-commerce platform with the European Commission, but also nationally in seventeen countries. According to analysts, Temu seems less aggressive in collecting user data than Pinduoduo. The application is also currently at the top of the Google and Apple app stores. Presented as an "Editor’s Choice" on Google Play, it is considered a trusted platform. Experts nevertheless advise users to carefully examine the personal information collected by Temu.

On the web, Moroccan internet users argue that the application has advantages, but also disadvantages that could mainly harm the poor and the middle class in Morocco, who will become addicted to e-commerce and end up paying large sums for useless things. While some praise the application for making online shopping more accessible, others fear that its success may be at the expense of privacy and local businesses. "Moroccans now find themselves torn between the temptation of very low prices and their personal data, which seems to have entered digital labyrinths with no way out," comments a Moroccan internet user.