Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has initiated scrutiny on consumer technology's national security implications by issuing a subpoena to Lorex Corp., a prominent security camera and baby monitor manufacturer. On Friday, the subpoena was released, seeking extensive documentation of Lorex's ownership, manufacturing contracts, and any connections to Chinese firms, raising alarms over the potential for American data and privacy to be compromised.
Lorex, while headquartered in North America, has previously sourced equipment from Dahua, a Chinese company now banned in the U.S. over national security concerns and alleged human rights abuses. Uthmeier's action underscores a growing anxiety about foreign surveillance capabilities, particularly those linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
In a public statement, Uthmeier expressed his concern, stating, "What consumers do not know is that data might be shared with the Chinese military. Imagine that. Footage of your baby in a crib going to the Chinese government. This is unacceptable. It is a national security issue, and it will not be tolerated."
The subpoena demands not only ownership records but also detailed insights into Lorex's corporate structure, manufacturing agreements, software and firmware updates, cloud platform providers, data center locations, and any security vulnerabilities or cyber breaches. Additionally, the Florida officials are investigating the origins of components used in Lorex products throughout the state.
The concerns are not unwarranted, as Dahua's history with Lorex is troubling. Dahua took ownership of Lorex in 2018, then sold it to Taiwan-based Skywatch after three years. Dahua's reputation is further marred by its addition to the Pentagon's 2022 list of 13 firms associated with the Chinese military and the Commerce Department's identification of the company for human rights violations, including forced labor of Uighur minorities.
This issue extends beyond Florida's borders. Australia's discovery of roughly 1,000 Dahua cameras in government offices led to a security overhaul. Stateside, legislative efforts mirror these security concerns with Florida Sen. Rick Scott's Drones for America Act, which intends to ban Chinese-made drones and components by 2031.
Industry experts have commended Uthmeier's proactive approach. Michael Lucci, CEO of State Armor, remarked, "The use of surveillance equipment produced by CCP-linked companies is a direct threat to the privacy of every American who uses such products, and is an unacceptable national security risk."
At the federal level, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has warned about China's cyber-espionage campaigns and their potential to penetrate critical U.S. infrastructure. Reports by ABC News of AI tools and former ByteDance employees' allegations against TikTok support concerns that consumer technology is at risk of foreign surveillance.
Uthmeier's investigation into Lorex could reveal illegal activities and preclude the possibility of sensitive American data being compromised. His actions may set a precedent for other states and federal agencies in protecting consumers from foreign surveillance threats.
