‘It’s a direct threat’: U.S. families are being spied on by a Chinese surveillance firm, lawsuit claims

There’s some big news on the tech front that might make you think twice about the security cameras you have in your home, especially if you have a Lorex camera. Nebraska’s Attorney General, Mike Hilgers, is suing home security camera maker Lorex, alleging that the company misled consumers about the privacy and safety of its devices and works with China.

The lawsuit, which spans 39 pages, was filed in a Nebraska state court. According to Fox, it claims that Lorex has been marketing its cameras as “private by design” and safe for use in highly personal spaces, like children’s bedrooms. The complaint states that the company allegedly hid the fact that its devices rely on a sanctioned Chinese firm, Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., which has been flagged for national security and human rights violations.

It’s a pretty alarming claim, and it raises a lot of questions about what we can truly trust when it comes to home security. Lorex’s devices, according to Hilgers, depend on technology from Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co., a Chinese surveillance firm that is legally required to assist Beijing’s massive intelligence apparatus. Hilgers told Fox News Digital that “The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a direct threat to American security, including through market actors who create or exploit security to American consumers”.

Some cameras might not just be keeping your data safe

He went on to say that “This is a national issue, and we are leading the fight in Nebraska against these companies who enable the CCP influence and surveillance”. It’s a pretty serious accusation, especially for a company whose products are so common at major retailers like Costco and Best Buy. The lawsuit even notes that the Lorex 2K Dual Lens Indoor camera, sold at stores like Costco, Best Buy, Kohl’s, and Home Depot, looks almost identical to Dahua’s “H5D-5F” and “H3D-3F” models.

Michael Lucci, who is the CEO of State Armor, has been at the forefront of pushing states to act on this issue. He made a pretty powerful statement to Fox News Digital, saying that “Lorex products shouldn’t just say ‘Made in China,’ they should say ‘Watching from China’”. He also added that by hiding its connection to a CCP-controlled company, Lorex is essentially lying to American families.

This deception is made worse by the fact that Lorex specifically markets these cameras for private use, like in children’s bedrooms, without any warning about the security risks involved. Hilgers described this as “deceptive” and “alarming and unacceptable” when it comes to monitoring children and homes. The fear of China is enough for the U.S. to work with the Taliban, so it’s a real issue.

Lucci went on to say that “Marketing these cameras as ‘private by design’ while all the data is back-doored by Beijing is not just false advertising, it’s a direct threat to individual privacy and American national security”. This whole situation highlights a growing concern that lawmakers have had for a while now: that the Chinese government uses business investments and partnerships in the U.S. as a cover for espionage activities. However, we’ve seen Trump okay literal spies near bases, so this may end up going nowhere.