Attorney General Brenna Bird Sues Baby Monitor Company with Ties to China
DES MOINES—Attorney General Brenna Bird announced today she has sued Lorex Corporation for selling retail camera equipment, including cameras advertised as a “Baby Cam,” with serious security vulnerabilities that are manufactured, sourced, and serviced by a military company associated with the Chinese government. Lorex’s products have historically been sold through large retailers, including Costco, Amazon, and Best Buy.
Lorex was previously owned by Dahua, a Chinese manufacturer of surveillance equipment that was blacklisted by the U.S. government and is required to share information with the Chinese government. Dahua sold Lorex to Skywatch, a Taiwanese holding company, but Lorex continues to use Dahua to source the component parts of its cameras and other surveillance equipment. In no way has Lorex ever disclosed their relationship to China and its obvious security concerns to consumers, including Iowans.
Lorex markets to consumers that its cameras are “safe and secure,” and can be placed in private areas of your home, like a child’s bedroom. However, Lorex's cameras have serious security flaws that allow hackers, including those affiliated with China, to access video and audio feeds and archives. They are also vulnerable to unauthorized access and remote tampering with settings.
"The fact that a Chinese-backed company can spy on Iowa kids and families through baby cameras is creepy and scary,” said Attorney General Bird. “Iowa parents want to be sure their baby is getting a good, safe night’s sleep. They shouldn’t have to worry that the Chinese government can also view that footage. Enough is enough—China needs to stay out of our homes. Companies like Lorex that help China access Iowans private data will be held accountable to Iowa law.”
The lawsuit seeks to stop Lorex from deceiving Iowans and raise awareness of the critical privacy risks that Lorex cameras pose. Attorney General Bird is seeking reimbursement, civil penalties and fees from Lorex for their violations of Iowa’s Consumer Fraud Act.
Read the petition here.
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For More Information:
Jen Green | jen.green@ag.iowa.gov
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