U.S. Retailers Pull Millions of Chinese Electronics Listings Amid FCC Crackdown

Major U.S. online retail platforms have removed millions of listings for Chinese-made electronics flagged as prohibited or unauthorized, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced Friday. FCC Chair Brendan Carr said the move comes in response to national security concerns over surveillance technology and foreign influence.

The delisted products include home security cameras, smartwatches, and other connected devices from companies such as Huawei, Hangzhou Hikvision, ZTE, and Dahua Technology. Carr said the FCC is reminding sellers of its list of banned equipment and pushing for new compliance measures to block future violations.

“We’re going to keep our efforts up,” Carr said, emphasizing that some removed items violated U.S. authorization rules or matched entries on the official “Covered List.”

The FCC’s actions are part of a larger regulatory push. The agency plans to vote on October 28 on stricter rules that could bar devices containing components from blacklisted Chinese firms — even revoking prior authorizations in certain cases. Previously, FCC had already placed Huawei, ZTE, China Mobile, and other firms on a “Covered List” limiting their ability to sell new or authorized equipment in the U.S.

Carr characterized some of the targeted electronics as potential threats: “They could allow China to surveil Americans, disrupt communications networks and otherwise threaten U.S. national security.”

This enforcement intensifies the tech and security standoff between Washington and Beijing. Beyond electronics, U.S. regulators have more broadly targeted Chinese telecom and semiconductor firms, citing similar risks.