LINCOLN, Neb. (CN) - Nebraska's attorney general warned the state's parents Tuesday that China's communist government could be lurking in the cameras they use to monitor the safety of their infants and toddlers. The cameras could also be used by hackers or other predators.
"I would immediately unplug any Lorex camera," Mike Hilgers told reporters gathered at the Nebraska State Capitol. He recommended parents research online, "to see if any patches or fixes that can be applied."
Nebraska filed a consumer protection lawsuit against security camera manufacturer Lorex on Tuesday, alleging that the company had misled customers about the privacy and security risks associated with its products. The lawsuit describes Lorex's marketing tactics and privacy assurances as unfair and deceptive.
Lorex was once owned by Dahua, a Chinese surveillance equipment manufacturer blacklisted by the U.S. government for its involvement in surveilling and oppressing ethnic minorities. Dahua sold Lorex to Taiwan-based Skywatch in 2022, just before the FCC moved to restrict Dahua imports.
However, Lorex still uses Dahua component parts and maintains ties with the company, according to the state.
"Unfortunately, that split, when Lorex left Dahua, was in name only," Hilgers, a Republican, said. "You can change the lipstick on the pig, but it is still a pig."
Lorex did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.
The state claims Dahua cameras have serious flaws that could allow hackers, including those tied to the Chinese government, to access video and audio feeds and archives. Other predators could also exploit the weaknesses, Hilgers said, though no cases have been confirmed.
The state cited, in a press release, claims that the cameras are safe to be placed in private areas of the home and that the company is committed to protecting the integrity, privacy, and security of our customers' information." Such claims, the state says, are "highly misleading."
"They are marketed to families. These are cameras that are being placed in people's nurseries. These are cameras that are watching the most intimate parts of people's homes," Hilgers said. "They are telling regular Nebraskans, and Americans for that matter, that these products are safe and you can trust that your very private data, the very audio and video of your internal home, especially with your own child, potentially in nursery, are safe from others."
The cameras are banned in some places, he said, including Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, the headquarters of the United States Strategic Command. Consumers are free to buy them as long as the company is upfront about the risks, but most people do not want to be spied on.
"You have to just simply be honest," Hilgers said. But, "I'm willing to bet that that market is pretty small and not economically feasible," he said.
The suit was filed in Lancaster County District Court. Lincoln, Nebraska's capital city, is located in Lancaster County.
Source: Courthouse News Service
