E-Commerce Sites Commit to Stop Illegal, Online Sales of Covered List Devices

The FCC calls its “Operation Clean Carts” an initial success. Federal law prohibits the sale or marketing of some electronic equipment—including certain devices produced by Chinese entities like Huawei, ZTE, Dahua, and Hikvision—that the FCC has placed on the agency’s Covered List due to national security concerns. But many online retailers and e-commerce sites have continued to sell, or allowed third-parties to sell, those devices.

After working with numerous e-commerce sites to address this issue, the FCC now says those efforts have resulted in sites removing several million listings for covered equipment. That includes devices such as Huawei smart watches and Dahua home security cameras, plus new commitments from those e-commerce sites to adopt additional best practices and coordinate with the Commission to monitor and prevent the unlawful online sale of Covered List equipment.

“The Communist Party of China has engaged in a multi-prong effort to insert insecure gear into Americans’ homes and businesses,” said FCC Chairman Brendan Carr. “This Covered List equipment poses an unacceptable risk to our country’s national security and to the safety and security of Americans. I am pleased that e-commerce sites quickly responded to the FCC’s efforts to shut down the illegal, online sale of these unlawful devices. Millions of listings for these devices have now been removed. I expect all online retailers to do their part and comply with the federal prohibition on the marketing and sale of Covered List devices.”

By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief