Iowa Attorney General sues ADI Global over Chinese-made surveillance cameras

Attorney General Brenna Bird of Iowa has taken legal action against ADI Global Distribution Inc., asserting that the distributor sold home-video surveillance cameras built by Hikvision and Dahua, two companies linked to the Chinese military and listed as national-security threats. Bird alleges that ADI failed to inform Iowa residents that the equipment could transmit intimate details of their homes, routines, and even passwords to the Chinese government.

The complaint further alleges that ADI sometimes altered product labels to hide the Chinese origin of the cameras. The Federal Communications Commission has warned that such equipment is susceptible to hacking and data requests from Chinese intelligence agencies. Bird emphasizes that the deception endangers personal privacy and must be halted under Iowa law. The case highlights ongoing concerns about foreign-made technology in U.S. security markets.