Technology

DJI sues the US Department of Defense for labeling it a ‘Chinese Military Company’

Published

1 year ago

October 19, 2024

DJI sues the US Department of Defense for labeling it a ‘Chinese Military Company’

DJI, the world’s largest drone company, is suing to avoid being seen as a tool of the Chinese government. On Friday, it sued the US Department of Defense to delete its name from a list of “Chinese Military Companies,” claiming it has no such relationship to Chinese authorities and has suffered unfairly as a result of that designation.

Since DJI was added to that list in 2022, the company claims, it has “lost business deals, been stigmatized as a national security threat, and been banned from contracting with multiple federal government agencies,” and that its employees “now suffer frequent and pervasive stigmatization” and are “repeatedly harassed and insulted in public places.”

It also alleges that the DoD would not offer the company any explanation for its designation as a “Chinese Military Company” until DJI threatened a lawsuit this September, and claims that when the DoD finally offered up its reasoning, it was filled with errors.

The US Department of Defense didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. You can read DJI’s full argument that it’s not owned or controlled by the Chinese military in the complaint below:

Regardless of whether the DoD has enough evidence to label DJI this way, it’s far from the only US government entity that’s been inclined to restrict and scrutinize the company over possible ties to the Chinese government. The US Army asked units to stop using DJI drones as early as 2017. In 2019, the US Interior Department grounded its fleet of DJI drones over spying risks.

In 2020, the US Department of Commerce added DJI to its Entity List, banning US companies from exporting technology to DJI after it “enabled wide-scale human rights abuses within China through abusive genetic collection and analysis or high-technology surveillance.”

In 2021, the US Treasury added DJI to its list of Non-SDN Chinese Military Industrial Complex Companies, writing that it had provided drones to the Chinese government so it could conduct surveillance of Uyghurs, and suggesting that DJI was complicit in serious human rights abuse as a result.

Some US government entities were restricted from buying new DJI drones following these various actions. And this past week, DJI reported that some of its drones have been blocked by US customs using the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act as justification.

In its defense, DJI has repeatedly claimed it isn’t owned or controlled by the Chinese government, that it’s had “nothing to do with treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang,” that it’s simply selling drones that may be used for various purposes that are out of its control afterwards, that many of those purposes have helped entities (including first responders) in the United States, and that independent audits by consulting firms and US government agencies (including the DoD) have found no security threats.

While DJI does admit in the complaint that two Chinese state-owned investment funds did make minority investments in the company, it claims the Shanghai Free Trade Zone Equity Fund has “less than 1% of DJI’s shares and less than 0.1% of DJI’s voting rights,” and that the Chengtong Fund ended its investment in June 2023.

(DJI says just four people control 99 percent of DJI and own 87 percent of its shares — DJI founder and early employees Frank Wang, Henry Lu, Swift Xie, and Li Zexiang.)

Congress is currently considering a complete import ban of new DJI drones and other equipment in the United States by suggesting they pose a natural security risk — though that ban is currently on ice. While the House of Representatives did approve it after it was tacked onto the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate’s version of the bill doesn’t currently contain the ban (though it might still add it back).

But until the US customs hold-up, which DJI is suggesting is just a misunderstanding, the US government hadn’t taken any actions that would keep stores from importing drones, consumers from buying them, or individual pilots from flying them in the United States. Even should Congress ban new DJI drones from being sold, the proposed text of those bills suggests existing owners could keep flying the ones they own.

Technology

The FCC’s foreign drone ban is here

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

The Federal Communications Commission has banned new drones made in foreign countries from being imported into the US unless the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security recommends them. Monday’s action added drones to the FCC’s Covered List, qualifying foreign-made drones and drone parts, like those from DJI, as communications equipment representing “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States and to the safety and security of U.S. persons.”

DJI is “disappointed” by today’s action, Adam Welsh, DJI’s head of global policy, says in a statement. “While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination.” Welsh adds that DJI “remains committed to the U.S. market” and noted that existing products can continue operation as usual. Other items on the FCC’s list include Kaspersky anti-virus software (added in 2024) and telecommunications equipment from Huawei and ZTE (added in 2021).

The FCC says it received a National Security Determination on December 21st from an interagency body saying that “uncrewed aircraft systems” (UAS) and critical UAS components produced in a foreign country could “enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over U.S. territory” and that “U.S. cybersecurity and critical‑infrastructure guidance has repeatedly highlighted how foreign‑manufactured UAS can be used to harvest sensitive data, used to enable remote unauthorized access, or disabled at will via software updates.”

If you already own a drone made outside the US, you will still be able to use it, according to the FCC’s fact sheet. Drones or drone components can be removed from the Covered List if the DoD or DHS “makes a specific determination to the FCC” that it does not pose unacceptable risks.

“Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones, offer the potential to enhance public safety as well as cement America’s leadership in global innovation,” FCC chairman Brendan Carr says.

Technology

Netflix suspension scam targets your inbox

Published

9 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Netflix suspension scam targets your inbox

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Holiday phishing attempts surge every year, and scammers know people juggle subscriptions, gifts and billing changes. That makes a fake alert feel real for a split second. Stacey P. emailed to tell us that he received one of these messages and wrote:

“I thought I should forward this message to you that I received today that was ostensibly from Netflix. Without clicking on any links, I called Netflix and they advised me that my account is in good standing. They asked me to forward this to them.”
— Stacey P.

Stacey’s experience shows how convincing these emails can appear and why taking a moment to verify can make all the difference. These Netflix suspension emails look polished at first glance. When you look closer, however, the warning signs jump out.

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HOLIDAY DELIVERIES AND FAKE TRACKING TEXTS: HOW SCAMMERS TRACK YOU

Holiday phishing scams spike as fake Netflix suspension emails exploit seasonal billing confusion and urgency. (Zeng Hui/Xinhua via Getty Images)

Why scammers use this approach

People expect billing reminders during the holidays. When you see a familiar logo during a busy day, your guard drops for a moment. Scammers build templates that look clean, simple and trustworthy because it increases their odds of success.

Red flags inside the fake Netflix message

The Netflix scam email attempts to mimic Netflix’s branding, but several details reveal it is fraudulent.

Spelling and grammar issues

The email includes mistakes real companies would never send. It uses valldate instead of validate, Communicication instead of communication and even writes “sent to yo” with the u missing from you. Errors like these are major signs of a scam.

Strange tone and pressure tactics

The message claims your billing info failed and says your membership will be suspended within 48 hours unless you act. Criminals rely on urgency because it stops people from thinking clearly.

Fake login buttons

The bold red Restart Membership button aims to lure you into entering your credentials on a phishing page. Once you type your password and payment details, you hand them over to attackers.

Generic greeting

The message uses Dear User instead of your name. Netflix includes your account name in official communications.

Suspicious footer and address

The footer contains off wording about inbox preferences and a Scottsdale address not tied to Netflix. Real subscription providers use consistent company details.

FACEBOOK SETTLEMENT SCAM EMAILS TO AVOID NOW

A reader narrowly avoided a Netflix phishing scam by calling the company instead of clicking the email link. (Luis Boza/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

How to stay safe from the Netflix suspension scam

A few habits can protect your account even when a phishing attempt looks convincing.

1) Check your account on Netflix.com

Open Netflix on your browser or app instead of clicking any link in the email. Your account status there is always accurate.

2) Avoid entering payment details through email links

Phishing pages often copy real sites. Instead of clicking the link in the message, open your browser and type the official website address yourself. This keeps you in control and away from fake pages.

3) Use a data removal service

Scammers often pull email addresses and personal details from data broker sites. These lists fuel subscription scams that look like the Netflix alert Stacey received. A trusted data removal service can pull your information off those sites and cut down on future phishing attempts.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

4) Hover over links to reveal the true URL

On a computer, hovering over a link shows where it really goes. If the address looks strange, delete the message.

5) Report the scam

Forward suspicious Netflix emails to phishing@netflix.com. This helps the fraud team block similar messages.

6) Strengthen your device security

Use two-factor authentication (2FA) for your email and install strong antivirus software to catch malicious pages. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

THE FAKE REFUND SCAM: WHY SCAMMERS LOVE HOLIDAY SHOPPERS

Scammers use polished branding and urgent language to trick users into giving up login and payment details. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.

7) Consider an identity theft protection service

If you ever enter your billing info into a fake login page, attackers can use that data for much more than streaming fraud. Identity Theft companies can monitor personal information like your Social Security number (SSN), phone number and email address, and alert you if it is being sold on the dark web or being used to open an account. They can also assist you in freezing your bank and credit card accounts to prevent further unauthorized use by criminals.

See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Stacey’s caution prevented him from becoming another victim of this email scam. These messages keep getting more believable, so spotting the red flags and using the steps above can save you time, money and frustration.

Have you seen a fake subscription alert recently that nearly fooled you? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Technology

Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

Published

21 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is set to arrive next year, and already faces some preemptive competition from Samsung. Korea’s ET News reports that Samsung’s upcoming “Wide Fold” is also set to launch in 2026, and will closely mirror the display size and 4:3 aspect ratio of Apple’s first foldable.

The machine-translated report says the Wide Fold is expected to feature an OLED display that measures 5.4 inches in its folded position, and 7.6 inches when unfolded. “It will be a ‘passport’ type with a 4:3 screen ratio when unfolded,” according to an unnamed industry source cited by ET News.

Last week, The Information reported that Apple’s upcoming foldable will feature a 5.3-inch display that increases to 7.7 inches when open, and will have an aspect ratio “similar to that of Apple’s largest iPads when viewed in landscape mode,” and will be “more wide than tall when unfolded.” Most iPad models sport a near 4:3 aspect ratio. This was the latest rumor that pointed to Apple’s first foldable iPhone having a wide aspect ratio in portrait mode, though Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in September that the device would look like two iPhone Airs stuck together.

Both Samsung and Apple’s upcoming foldables are expected to launch in Fall 2026. The 4:3 aspect ratio is better for reading e-books and documents, viewing photographs, or creative tasks like design and image editing, but would result in traditional landscape and portrait videos having ugly black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This is something that’s already noticeable on Samsung’s squarish Z Fold 7.