Key facts
- FCC blocked two devices containing Chinese-made surveillance chips.
- Chips produced by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon.
- HiSilicon advertises its chip as designed for the surveillance market.
- Chips include detection algorithms for human faces.
The US Federal Communications Commission on Thursday blocked two devices from the US market that contained foreign surveillance chips produced by a subsidiary of China's Huawei. This marks the first time the FCC has exercised its authority under new rules designed to prevent the use of such technology. The agency stated that the chips, produced by Huawei subsidiary HiSilicon, are advertised as being "designed for the surveillance market" and include "detection algorithms for human faces."