Florida AG Sues TP-Link Over Security Claims and China Ties
Florida AG James Uthmeier files lawsuit against TP-Link over alleged security flaws and misleading China connections.
2 min read
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a civil lawsuit against TP-Link, accusing the Wi-Fi router manufacturer of misleading consumers about the security of its products and its connections to China. The lawsuit, filed in Polk County as part of Florida’s 10th Judicial Circuit, claims TP-Link falsely told customers that its routers and HomeShield security service covered every security scenario and offered total protection.
Claims of Misrepresentation and Security Vulnerabilities
“Those claims are not true, and we are bringing the lawsuit against TP-Link,” Uthmeier said in a recorded video statement. Announcing the suit in a post on X, Uthmeier wrote that “TP-Link sold Floridians the digital front door to their home network while misrepresenting how secure it was, how separated the company was from China, and what could happen to their data.”
Uthmeier explains, “Chinese state-sponsored hackers exploited TP-Link routers sitting in American living rooms. Many of those models cannot update themselves automatically, and TP-Link has stopped supporting them.” The lawsuit also challenges TP-Link’s public claims about its corporate structure and manufacturing.
Corporate Structure Allegations
The company has said it split from China and builds its U.S. products in Vietnam. Uthmeier disputed that directly: “They also told Floridians they had split from China and that they build U.S. products in Vietnam. That is fiction. Research and manufacturing remain rooted in China. Less than one percent of the parts in that Vietnam plant actually come from Vietnam.”
“We will not allow families to be misled into handing their personal data to the Chinese Communist Party,” Uthmeier said. Through the lawsuit, Uthmeier is seeking an injunction against TP-Link, restitution for Florida consumers, and penalties under state law.
Broader Legal Context
Uthmeier has previously led investigations into other corporate and media issues, including a shareholder lawsuit against the New York Times. He explained that the lawsuit is about “corporate governance” at its core, emphasizing the legal responsibilities of publicly traded companies to their shareholders.
Source: Breitbart
