FCC uses new authority to block devices containing foreign surveillance chips
The FCC invoked a recently granted power to ban two devices that incorporate a HiVision Hi3516CV610 chip, labeling it a foreign surveillance component.
The Federal Communications Commission, after receiving expanded enforcement powers on October 13, has begun blocking consumer devices that embed chips from companies on its security-risk list. It has now targeted two undisclosed products for containing the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision System-on-Chip, which converts raw camera sensors into surveillance-type cameras. Listings on AliExpress show the chip frequently paired with Sony sensors and sometimes pre-installed lenses.
HiVision, a subsidiary of Huawei, is classified as a foreign threat, prompting the FCC to treat the component as a “foreign surveillance chip.” This action closes a previous loophole that let prohibited technology be hidden inside other manufacturers’ offerings. The agency declined to name the specific devices and did not respond to requests for comment. The FCC has previously used similar powers to retroactively ban gadgets and to restrict modular radio transmitters.
Why it matters
It shows how U.S. regulators are tightening controls on foreign-made components that could pose security risks.
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