Bought anything from fast fashion company Shein? You might be putting your health at risk.
Chinese apps you should remove from your phone
Security is something you should never take for granted. You may be exposing yourself to hackers and scammers without even realizing it. Here are 10 things you do daily that put you in danger.
You’ve heard it many times from us: Get rid of TikTok and Temu. Now we’re adding even more to the list.
Why does it matter?
Some of these apps, like Pinduoduo, contain malware. Temu, owned by the same Chinese company as Pinduoduo, sells low-quality junk.
If CamScanner is on your phone, get rid of it. It was on a list of apps banned in 2021 over concerns that the Chinese government was using them to spy on American citizens.
A Chinese billionaire founded Shein and is also known for shoddy merchandise and poor service. Oh, and there have been numerous articles citing the company’s use of slave labor.
Turbo VPN has been downloaded over 100 million times and has had multiple Chinese nationals as directors.
WeChat and UC Browser are owned by two of the most valuable companies in the world: Tencent and Alibaba. And here’s something you need to know: The Chinese government owns shares in both of these companies.
TikTok, Lemon8 and CapCut are all owned by ByteDance, which is based in Beijing and is required by Chinese law to give the government access to collected data.
RELATED: Protect your privacy: How to stop apps and people from tracking your every move
Delete these apps now
Here’s a (certainly not exhaustive) list of apps with ties to the Chinese government, along with their parent companies:
Your cheap clothes could cause cancer
🚨 Use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or Yahoo? No joke, three out of every four Black Friday-themed emails are scams. The scammers’ goal? To steal your credit card info or plant malware. Brands most impersonated include Amazon, Shein and Costco. Stay safe: Always double-check the sender’s email address (not just the sender’s name) before you click.
34.6% and 34.4%
U.S. shoppers who purchase at least one thing a month on Shein and Temu, respectively. The Chinese retailers have more American repeat shoppers than eBay and Etsy. Stay away, folks. The stuff is cheap, and you never know how much data they’re collecting.
💸 Amazon’s new budget battleground: Say hello to Amazon Haul, their latest venture geared toward selling ultra-cheap items (think under $20). Why? Because Shein and Temu are mopping the floor with Amazon. With Haul, expect to find items like $2 earrings, $10 blenders and, yes, even a $20 wedding dress. (Pro tip: Don’t walk down the aisle in that!) Don’t expect Prime’s speedy shipping, either; your order will take one or two weeks since it’s coming from China. Heads-up: You can only shop Amazon Haul through the Amazon app for now.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
🧪 Deadly deals: Toxic substances have been found in cheap products from Shein and Temu at levels hundreds of times above what’s acceptable. Case in point: A pair of shoes on Shein contained phthalates at 229 times the legal limit. The chemicals make plastics more flexible but can cause infertility or worse. Not worth it, folks.
Cheap clothes online could make you sick
Major fashion retailer Shein was caught selling millions of clothes containing toxic chemicals, some of which are linked to cancer. Plus, an Amazon driver ignores a house fire, Samsung washing machine drama, and police drones are here.
AI salary bumps, China sinks data center & email marketing pro tips
Plus, Amazon’s slashing seller fees to rival Shein, and I look into a pill that tracks your health internally. Quick tip: disable this iPhone feature on FaceTime. I’ll also share unspoken email etiquette and clever tech hacks to reduce holiday stress, including how to avoid Amazon spoilers and capture great family photos.
Why Temu and Shein are dangerous
Give up your data for low prices? I tell you why that’s not worth in, in 60 seconds.