The AGs of Florida, Iowa, Montana, and Nebraska sue TP-Link, alleging it deceptively marketed its routers' security and didn't properly disclose ties to China (Connor Jones/The Register)

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against TP-Link, alleging that the company has been dishonest about the safety of its routers and its relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In a video posted on X, Uthmeier stated that TP-Link's claims of having secure routers are false. The lawsuit claims that TP-Link misled Floridians about the security of its routers, its separation from China, and the potential risks to their data.

According to Uthmeier, Chinese state-sponsored hackers have exploited TP-Link routers in American homes, as many models cannot update themselves automatically, and the company has ceased supporting them. TP-Link has also claimed to have severed ties with a Chinese company, despite Pentagon designations and research showing that manufacturing remains in China.

The federal government began investigating TP-Link in 2024, with the Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, and Department of Justice looking into potential unfair trade practices and threats to national security. Although TP-Link tried to distance itself from its Chinese parent company and began making routers in Vietnam since 2018, it remains a target due to its alleged connections to Beijing.

Other states, including Iowa, Nebraska, and Montana, have also joined Florida in suing TP-Link for similar reasons, aiming to protect their citizens from the Chinese Communist Party.