Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers is set to initiate legal proceedings against Lorex, a home security camera manufacturer, alleging that the company has misled consumers regarding the safety and privacy of its products.
This lawsuit, which Fox News Digital has exclusively reported, will be filed in Nebraska state court on Tuesday. Lorex, though not a household name, has its cameras widely distributed through major retailers such as Costco and Best Buy, quietly surveilling homes across the nation.
According to Fox News, the 39-page lawsuit accuses Lorex of marketing its cameras as "private by design" and suitable for sensitive areas like children's bedrooms, all the while obscuring their reliance on technology from Zhejiang Dahua Technology Co. This Chinese firm has been sanctioned by the U.S. due to concerns over national security and human rights violations. Lorex has yet to respond to requests for comment from Fox News Digital.
Attorney General Hilgers has highlighted the potential risks associated with Lorex devices, which are said to be dependent on technology from a company that is legally obligated to support China's extensive intelligence operations. "The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) poses a direct threat to American security, including through market actors who create or exploit security to American consumers," Hilgers stated to Fox News Digital.
He emphasized that Nebraska is at the forefront of combating companies that facilitate CCP influence and surveillance.
The lawsuit specifically points to the Lorex 2K Dual Lens Indoor camera, available at prominent U.S. retailers like Costco, Best Buy, Kohls, and Home Depot, which closely resembles Dahuas "H5D-5F" and "H3D-3F" models. Hilgers criticized Lorex for promoting its surveillance products for use in private spaces without adequately informing families of the associated security risks.
"This marketing is deceptive, as Nebraskans are not warned about security risks," he remarked. "When it comes to products that may be used to monitor children and inside Nebraska homes, this deception is both alarming and unacceptable."
Concerns about Lorex's practices extend beyond Nebraska. Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor, has been vocal in urging states to take action. "Lorex products shouldnt just say Made in China, they should say Watching from China," Lucci expressed in a statement to Fox News Digital. He further criticized Lorex for concealing its reliance on a CCP-controlled company, sanctioned for human rights abuses and national security risks, thereby misleading American families.
"Marketing these cameras as private by design while all the data is back-doored by Beijing is not just false advertising, its a direct threat to individual privacy and American national security," Lucci added. This sentiment echoes longstanding bipartisan concerns among lawmakers about the Chinese government's use of educational exchanges, research partnerships, and business investments in the U.S. as fronts for espionage activities.
These warnings have gained urgency in recent years amid heightened scrutiny of Beijings influence operations on American soil.
The lawsuit against Lorex underscores the broader national debate over the security implications of foreign technology in American homes, particularly when linked to adversarial governments. As the legal battle unfolds, it raises critical questions about consumer protection, privacy, and national security in an era of increasing technological interdependence.
Login