FCC Deploys New Power to Block Gadgets With 'Foreign Surveillance Chips'
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The agency is targeting components from Huawei subsidiary HiVision to close national security loopholes.
The FCC has exercised a new authority to block electronic devices containing computer chips produced by companies identified as national security threats. According to reporting from The Verge, the agency first granted itself this power on October 13 under Brendan Carr.
In its first application of this authority, the FCC blocked two unnamed gadgets. The agency claims these devices contain "foreign surveillance chips," specifically identifying the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision SoC. The chip is used to convert raw camera sensors into devices such as dashcams or home security cameras and is frequently bundled with Sony camera sensors, The Verge reports.
The FCC's decision stems from HiVision's own marketing, which describes the chip as being "designed for the surveillance market" and featuring "built in detection algorithms for human faces." Furthermore, the agency notes that HiVision is a subsidiary of Huawei, a company already included on the FCC's Covered List of national security risks.
By targeting these specific components, the FCC aims to close a loophole that previously allowed banned companies to have their products included inside gadgets manufactured by other firms. This move follows previous agency actions regarding modular radio transmitters and retroactive gadget bans.