FCC Blocks Devices Containing Huawei Surveillance Chips

The Federal Communications Commission blocked two devices from the U.S. market after discovering they contained surveillance chips produced by HiSilicon, a subsidiary of Huawei. The barred hardware consists of a dashboard camera and a wireless video transmitter.

This action represents the first application of a new authority granted on October 13, 2026, which empowers the agency to block gadgets containing computer chips from companies designated as national security threats. The agency specifically identified the HiVision Hi3516CV610 UHD Smart Vision SoC as a foreign surveillance chip, noting that the manufacturer markets the component for the surveillance market with integrated human face detection algorithms.

The move is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to tighten restrictions on Chinese technology. By targeting the chips themselves, the government aims to close loopholes that previously allowed banned hardware to enter the United States embedded within products from other companies.