The US Federal Communications Commission has added foreign-made advanced robotic devices to its Covered List, effectively banning robots manufactured abroad, including Chinese humanoid and four-legged robots as well as robot vacuums. The FCC cited previously discovered cybersecurity vulnerabilities in Chinese-made robots as justification for the ban.
The agency did not act alone: it is required by law to follow a qualifying national security authority, and the White House convened an interagency body including national security agencies that determined the robots pose an unacceptable risk. The move raises questions about which companies and consumers stand to gain or lose from the prohibition.
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