The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has initiated an investigation into Amazon (AMZN.O) and other retailers over allegations of marketing and selling unlawful electronic devices, an FCC spokesperson informed on Wednesday.
Jonathan Uriarte, the Director of Strategic Communications at the FCC, stated, “We have several ongoing investigations into retailers, including Amazon, for potential violations of Commission rules related to the marketing and sale of equipment without proper FCC authorization.”
The investigation follows a report by NBC News, which revealed that several online retailers and drone technology companies were promoting the sale of radio frequency jammers under the guise of drone deterrence or privacy tools, circumventing federal laws prohibiting the sale of such devices within the country.
Amazon, one of the retailers under scrutiny, has not yet responded to a request for comment.
NBC News disclosed that it discovered nine independent sellers on Amazon recently offering “jammer” devices capable of disabling security cameras and blocking Wi-Fi networks.
The FCC’s inquiry underscores concerns regarding the proliferation of unauthorized electronic devices in the market and the potential risks they pose to public safety and communication networks.