US Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) has penned a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr urging the latter to use his authority to prevent the airing of commercials from Chinese companies like Temu during the upcoming super bowl.
The super bowl is set to be disputed between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs on February 9, 2025.
During last year’s super bowl, Chinese retail giant Temu generated controversy when it aired three advertisements, ignoring political pressure against doing so.
Temu spent approximately $21 million on those advertisements and offered $15 million worth of giveaways.
Temu, whose US operations account for billions in revenue, has been criticized for alleged deceptive trade practices and use of Uyghur slave labor to artificially decrease prices.
Other similar Chinese brands, such as Shein, have faced the same allegations.
“Temu is known to flood the United States with cheap goods produced by forced labor in People’s Republic of China while exploiting the de-minimis loophole to avoid enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA),” said Scott.
Scott previously sent former President Joe Biden’s administration a letter requesting Temu be investigated over product safety, labor practices, unfair competition, data privacy, and counterfeit goods concerns.
The investigation never occurred.
However, in anticipation of this year’s super bowl, Scott is requesting FCC Chairman Carr investigate Temu and other foreign entities of concern (FEOCs) that broadcast on U.S. airwaves to determine if those entities pose a significant national security risk to the American public.
If found to threaten the American public, the FCC would then deter future partnerships between FEOCs and television networks.
“American broadcasting companies should not platform CCP-linked companies who actively violate U.S. laws and do not comply with the same standards as U.S. manufacturers,” wrote Scott.
