Four States Sue TP-Link Over China Ties
The lawsuits add state-level consumer fraud claims to the federal scrutiny TP-Link already faces over its China links, giving the company a second front to defend while it says its US and China businesses are separate entities.
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, and Montana have each filed lawsuits against TP-Link, claiming the networking equipment maker conceals ties to the Chinese government. Iowa's attorney general says the routers use firmware that allows Chinese government access to residents' devices, and that almost all components come from China or via China. TP-Link flatly denies any China ties.
The four suits were filed separately by the attorneys general of Iowa, Florida, Nebraska, and Montana. Iowa's attorney general argues that TP-Link claims its routers are made in Vietnam and are safe, but that almost all components are imported from China or via China, and that its firmware lets the Chinese government reach Iowa residents' devices and data.
Nebraska's attorney general makes a similar case, saying TP-Link relies on research, development, and manufacturing bases in China, and that the majority of components at its Vietnam factories are imported from China or via China. The complaint also alleges the company did not disclose continued relationships with Chinese military contractors or vulnerabilities to exploitation by Russian intelligence agencies and Chinese government-affiliated hackers.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.