US ban on Chinese spy cameras will backfire
US regulators are toughening their stance on Chinese makers of spy cameras and other hardware. By turning to an old playbook, though, Washington is diverting focus from the future and diminishing America’s ability to remain a global technology leader.
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday proposed a ban on use of certain telecommunications products and other electronics made by Chinese companies, including one of the world’s largest makers of surveillance cameras, Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co., and Dahua Technology Co. The order, which cites alleged national security risks, also seeks to forbid future U.S. sales and could revoke prior authorizations for the equipment. Hikvision said it “strongly opposes” the FCC's measure while Dahua called it “unwarranted.”
Attempting to rid the U.S. of existing equipment and electronic cameras — on street corners, in schoolyards and at local government facilities — will be more disruptive than proactive. For one thing, there aren’t many better alternatives, and looking for new products or phasing out old ones will be a long process that wouldn’t necessarily undo any alleged damage to privacy or security — if there's been any at all. In some cases, such technology has been seen as a benefit. In 2018, the Memphis Police Department, which had bought hundreds of Hikvision cameras in the preceding decade, said the devices helped it make up to 100 arrests a year, according to a Wall Street Journal report at the time.
Over the past few years, various U.S. government departments have tried to shut out Chinese companies through similar restrictions. Rather than waiting around for narrow paths of overseas revenue to open up, these firms have simply moved on. Now, they’re
Read more on tech.hindustantimes.com
