FCC blocks sale of devices containing Huawei-linked surveillance chips

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has blocked the sale and marketing of two devices in the United States: a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter. The agency determined that both devices contain chips produced by HiSilicon, a subsidiary of Huawei, which is included on the FCC’s Covered List of entities posing unacceptable risks to national security.

HiSilicon markets its chips as being “designed for the surveillance market” and featuring “built in detection algorithms for human faces.” This action marks the first enforcement measure taken under new rules that went into effect last week, which prohibit the authorization of devices containing smart components from Covered List entities.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that video devices containing such chips pose an “obvious and unacceptable risk to the nation and our people,” emphasizing the agency's commitment to preventing potential spyware from entering American networks.