FCC Raises Concern over Rampant Selling of Uncertified TV Boxes on Amazon, eBay

The Federal Communications Commission has recently expressed concern over the prevalent use of the agency’s logo by TV box manufacturers selling their products on Amazon and eBay.

Recent reports cited a May 25 letter written by FCC Commissioner Mike O'Rielly to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and eBay President Devin Wenig to raise the issue.

O'Rielly called on the major e-commerce corporations to “remove” TV boxes that use the FCC logo even without passing the commission’s requirements. The commissioner stressed that the use of FCC logo serves as proof that electronics sold in the United States have complied with FCC “equipment authorization requirements.”

“Disturbingly, some rogue set‐top box manufacturers and distributors are exploiting the FCC's trusted logo by fraudulently placing it on devices that have not been approved via the Commission's equipment authorization process,” O’Rielly wrote.

The FCC commissioner did not specifically identify distributors found infringing on the commission’s logo. But O’Rielly confirmed in the letter that at least “nine set-top box distributors” streaming copyrighted digital content were reported last October. And seven out of these nine manufacturers were found to be using the FCC logo without authorization, O’Rielly added.

While the FCC recognized Amazon's and Ebay’s previous efforts to crack down on TV boxes perpetuating pirated streaming of digital content, O’Rielly pointed out that these products are still finding their way to U.S. consumers’ homes through these e-commerce platforms.

With that, O’Rielly called on Amazon and eBay for their continuous cooperation in ultimately eliminating electronic products found accountable for the illegal use of the FCC logo and the unlawful distribution of digital content.

As a response, Amazon Public Policy VP Brian Huseman wrote to O’Rielly on the same date, stating (via TechCrunch), “Since enacting our proactive policy against these devices, we have blocked tens of thousands of (Illicit Streaming Devices) listings from being available on Amazon. … We would also appreciate the opportunity to collaborate further with the FCC to remove non-compliant devices that improperly use the FCC logo or falsely claim FCC certification.”

eBay also issued a statement, saying, “We’re committed to working in collaboration with the FCC to prevent the sale of these illegal products. As outlined in the letter, eBay utilizes a variety of measures to prevent these products from being sold on our platform.”