It’s Not Too Late to Stop Temu
The San Francisco 49’ers may have lost the Super Bowl, but star running back Christian McCaffrey still had plenty of prize money to take home after staring in ads for Temu, a discount everything store website that aired three ads during the game. McCaffrey partnered with the controversial retailer on the ads and pre-game social media posts, telling his millions of followers about his favorite Temu products. Fans and viewers were left to wonder if McCaffrey knew he was participating in such blatant Chinese propaganda and pushing products undoubtedly made using slave labor.
It’s fair to give 49’ers Running Back Christian McCaffrey the benefit of the doubt, and hopefully he and other influencers will take a hard look at what they are promoting before they cash the check, but Temu and its ally, the CCP deserves no such reprieve.
Temu has been aggressively trying to compete with more established online retailers, and their recent Super Bowl ads were a bold move to continue the momentum after airing 2 ads in last years Big Game. In 2023 Temu became the most downloaded app in the U. S., but what many don't realize is that Temu's success is built on the backs of slave labor.
Temu's low prices rely on labor provided by enslaved Uyghur Muslims held by the Chinese government in the Xinjiang region of China.
The Chinese government has been accused of using forced labor to produce goods for export, including clothing, electronics, and other consumer goods. This is not only a violation of human rights but also a threat to the global economy. The use of forced labor allows China to produce goods at a lower cost than other countries, giving them an unfair advantage in the global market.
Furthermore, the use of forced labor in China is a threat to national security. Many companies rely on China for manufacturing, and the use of forced labor in China can disrupt the supply chain and lead to shortages of goods. This can have a significant impact on the global economy, as well as on the companies that rely on China for manufacturing.
Based on numerous reports, publicly available data, and various investigations from Congressional committees, Temu is engaged in the very worst of these practices and in direct violation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. They fail to respond to Congressional inquiries, stonewall journalists, and spend millions on flashy ads and high profile influencers to distract from the truth behind Temu. Three years ago the UFLPA began to track companies known to be using slave labor and created a designated list. Temu should be at the top.
Temu may claim to be separate from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), but any objective review of their practices, and failures to comply with Congressional inquiries regarding sources of their cotton and labor practices tells a much different story. It is time for companies like Temu to be held accountable for their complicity in these human rights abuses.
Temu is reminiscent of another company that has courted controversy given its Chinese roots. It was not so long ago Tik-Tok was the only bi-partisan enemy of Washington. Despite President Trump’s best efforts to interfere in the Tik-Tok takeover that has consumed much of popular culture in the last four years, with users now reaching close to 200 million, most in Washington are resigned to the fact that it will be almost impossible to ban an app with such a critical mass of U.S. consumers. Unless Temu is held accountable for their UFLPA violations, Temu could be the most downloaded app in the U.S. for the second year in a row.
There are a lot of politicians in Washington that talk tough on China and claim to stand against the plight of the enslaved Uyghurs. They submit resolutions, and spout rhetoric from the Senate floor. They send out letters to their constituents and form committees and sub committees to condemn but when given the opportunity, why won’t they do more? It’s not too late.
Ryan Costello, U.S. Congressman 2015-2019 (R-PA6) .
