Why The Montana AG Doesn’t Want You Using This New App

Why The Montana AG Doesn't Want You Using This New App

Now that the frenzy of the big game has passed and we catch our breath discussing all of the funny, terrible, groan inducing commercials, let's highlight one of those that played throughout the evening, causing a small ruckus.

How many times did you see an advertisement for "TEMU" on your television during the game?  Probably quite a few.  But what is it and why is the Montana Attorney General so interested in you not having it?

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Montana Has Taken on This Fight Before with Chinese Companies

Just last year, the hubbub surrounding TikTok reached the Big Sky of Montana and spawned a fight amongst our state government and the Chinese owned company behind it.  Now the Attorney General for Montana has taken it a step further, sending letters encouraging the dropping of that advertising for Temu.

Temu itself, according to a description from their website:

The Temu shopping center is available at www.temu.com and through mobile apps. It offers a broad range of quality merchandise across 29 categories, including women's and men's clothing, beauty and health, home and kitchen, sports and outdoors, appliances, tools and home improvement, pet supplies, and toys and games, among others.

Seems pretty legitimate, right?  Stuff on the cheap.  So, what is the big deal with this company?

It Isn't Just Montana, Congress and More Have Questions for Temu

In a letter this past weekend the Montana AG Austin Knudsen fired a letter to executives at CBS to not air these particular advertisements.  The reasoning behind that is as follows:

We write to urge CBS not to broadcast Super Bowl commercials from Temu. Congressional investigators believe Temu is illegally selling products made by forced labor in an area of China in which the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is committing genocide.CBS should not elevate a company profiting from forced labor and genocide during America’s biggest game.

You can read a full transcript of the letter from AG Knudsen here.

Will this affect whether or not you use this new service?  Let us know in the comments of our social media, through our app chat feature or you can email us here.