Unveiling Temu’s Cash Offer: Controversy Swirls Around ‘Giveaway

Legal and consumer experts have raised concerns about a cash giveaway campaign by e-retailer Temu, which has gained significant traction on social media platforms. Under the promotion, participants can receive cash rewards of up to £50 by signing up new users through a shareable link within a 24-hour period.

However, scrutiny has been directed towards the terms and conditions of the campaign, particularly a clause that requires participants to grant Temu consent to use and publish their personal data, including photos, names, and biographical information, for advertising purposes. This provision has sparked worries among experts about the potential misuse of sensitive data and the lack of clarity surrounding how the data will be utilized.

Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, expressed concerns about users giving away sensitive personal data in exchange for cash rewards, especially considering the broad scope of consent requested by Temu. Similarly, Jonathan Kirsop, a data protection partner at Pinsent Mason, highlighted that the wording of the terms could raise legal issues under UK data protection rules, particularly regarding the requirement for freely given and specific consent for data processing.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s data regulator, stated that it is aware of the concerns raised regarding Temu’s campaign and is assessing the situation. The ICO emphasized the importance of organizations being transparent about their data collection and usage practices to ensure individuals can make informed decisions about sharing their personal information.

Awais Rashid, a professor of cyber security at the University of Bristol, noted the increasing trend of apps collecting excessive amounts of user data and emphasized the need for individuals to carefully consider the implications of sharing their data in exchange for incentives. He highlighted the importance of understanding how collected data will be used and whether individuals are comfortable with those practices.

Overall, while Temu asserts that its campaign follows standard industry practices, legal and consumer experts caution users to carefully evaluate the implications of sharing their personal data in such promotions.