2024 election security in jeopardy? Emergency motion filed against use of Axon cameras

Axon cameras class action lawsuit overview: 

• Who: California-based AI company GovGPT filed an emergency motion to prevent the use of Axon Body 4 cameras at 2024 presidential election events. 
• Why: The company argues the Axon body cameras, which are used by police, contain a Chinese-made chip that is susceptible to hacking, compromising the security of election officials and harming the integrity of the election process. 
• Where: The emergency motion was filed in Arizona federal court. 

Certain police-worn Axon body cameras contain a Chinese-made chip that is susceptible to being hacked, compromising the security of election officials and potentially allowing China to interfere in the U.S. election process, a California-based artificial intelligence company claims. 

In an emergency motion filed July 29, GovGPT asked an Arizona federal judge to prohibit the use of Axon Body 4 cameras at 2024 presidential election events, arguing the body cameras could be used to “facilitate espionage and interference by the Chinese Communist Party.” 

The company also filed a class action lawsuit against Axon, arguing the company is aware of the alleged risks of using the so-called Quectel chip as lawmakers singled it out early this year as potentially illegal due to the China-related concerns. Both the motion and complaint can be found here.

GovGPT claims Axon violated various federal and state laws with allegedly monopolistic practices and the aforementioned alleged privacy violations. 

In the complaint, GovGPT and its CEO Raj Abhyanker claim the Quectel chip in the Axon Body 4 cameras could facilitate real-time surveillance, GPS tracking and data interception by foreign adversaries. 

GovGPT CEO argues Axon knows about issue, doesn’t want to ‘deal with the problem’

Abhyanker told Top Class Actions that while Axon allegedly knows about the issue, they “don’t want to deal with the problem.” 

“After the Congress reports and, obviously, they seem to know about the issue, it seems that they don’t care,” Abhyanker says. 

Abhyanker, who described GovGPT as a competitor to Axon, told Top Class Actions he and his company are not claiming Axon intentionally put the Quectel chips in the body cameras, noting the company revealed the devices in October 2023, months before a Congress report in January. 

Abhyanker says he thought Axon would be receptive to notifying its customers and working toward a solution after his company’s senior leadership had a call with Axon’s senior management in late May 2024. 

“We would notify our customers immediately,” Abhyanker says. “So we thought that Axon would do the same thing.” 

Cameras pose ‘imminent’ threat to political figures, emergency motion says 

The complaint, meanwhile, argues the use of the Axon Body 4 cameras ultimately compromises the security of law enforcement operations and high-profile events. 

“The presence of Axon Body 4 cameras at (2024 presidential election) events increases the risk of espionage, targeted attacks and disruptions, as evidenced by the assassination attempt on President Trump during a rally in Butler County this month in July 2024,” the emergency motion says. 

GovGPT claims the 2024 presidential election cycle involving Donald Trump and Kamala Harris is particularly vulnerable, with recent intelligence revealing an Iranian-backed assassination plot against Trump that the company argues involved close cooperation from China. 

“This geopolitical alliance exacerbates the risks posed by the use of Axon Body 4 cameras, enabling adversaries to leverage advanced surveillance capabilities to compromise security at political events,” the emergency motion says. 

The company argues the potential for real-time surveillance through Axon Body 4 cameras not only poses an imminent threat to the security of political figures but also harms the integrity of the electoral process. 

“An injunction is clearly in the public interest. Ensuring the security and integrity of the 2024 presidential election is paramount,” the emergency motion says. 

After reviewing the motion, the court set a hearing date for Aug. 20 and said that, while no evidence was presented of an actual known threat, it would handle the complaint on an expedited basis.

Are you concerned about the security of Axon Body 4 cameras? Let us know in the comments.

The Axon body camera class action lawsuit is GovernmentGPT Inc., Raj Abhyanker, et al., v. Axon Enterprise Inc, formerly d/b/a Taser International Inc., Microsoft Corporation, et al., Case No. 2:24-at-99907, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

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