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This part of the press release seems pretty crucial: > Producers of consumer-grade routers that receive Conditional Approval from DoW or DHS can continue to re

This part of the press release seems pretty crucial: > Producers of consumer-grade routers that receive Conditional Approval from DoW or DHS can continue to receive FCC equipment authorizations. In other words, foreign-made consumer routers are banned by default. But if you are a manufacturer, you can apply to get unbanned ("Conditional Approval"). In the FAQ (https://www.fcc.gov/faqs-recent-updates-fcc-covered-list-regarding-routers-produced-foreign-countries https://www.fcc.gov/faqs-recent-updates-fcc-covered-list-reg...), they even include guidance on how to apply: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/Guidance-for-Conditional-Approvals-Submissions0326.pdf https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/Guidance-for-Conditi... If you (a manufacturer) apply, they want information regarding corporate location, jursidiction, and ownership. They want a bill of materials with country of origin and a justification for why any foreign-sourced components can't be domestic. They want information about who provides software and updates. And they want to hear your plan to increase US domestic manufacturing and progress toward that goal. So, foreign-made consumer routers can still be sold, but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb, and they are going to use FCC approval as leverage to try to increase domestic manufacturing.

giantrobot 6mo ago
Any router made by a company that "donates" (bribes) to Trump's "ballroom" or other vanity projects will get approved. Irrespective of anything else. This is just another grift.
wahern 6mo ago
> So, foreign-made consumer routers can still be sold, but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb, and they are going to use FCC approval as leverage to try to increase domestic manufacturing. You're assuming a non-partisan technocratic process, which this administration has amply shown is neither capable nor willing to provide. This requirement becomes another opportunity for Pay-to-Play, either in cash or quid pro quo, to the government directly (see, e.g., NVidia and AMD export allowances) or to Trump's inner circle (see, e.g., crypto venture regulation, merger approvals).
- dcrazy 6mo ago
  This is the problem with erosion of norms. We’ve all known for decades that consumer routers have shit security. We’ve all known about the risk of implants or intentional backdoors in the supply chain. And now when the FCC appears to be finally doing something about it, there’s a massive cloud of mistrust hanging over the whole idea.
  - mindslight 6mo ago
    The mistrust comes from those doing it, and the clearly corrupt ways they are operating. The maggot movement is basically rooted in a lot of very real frustrations from very real longstanding problems, but the only thing it offers as solutions is performative vice signalling. People who care about the problems of digital security are not going to lean into the idea of simply banning devices based on where they were manufactured. Rather they would work at general standards and solutions to actually solve the problems - things like untying the markets for hardware/firmware/services, requiring firmware source escrow, mandating LAN protocols and controllers so every single IoT device isn't backhauling to its own mothership, and so on. Likewise people who care about domestic manufacturing first and foremost are not going to champion applying steep blanket tariffs two decades after all of that industry has already left, or using regulatory agencies to shake down manufacturers for unrelated concessions.
  - selkin 6mo ago
    The FCC ain’t doing nothing about it. If anyone thinks they are, then I have an amazing US made router to sell them.
  - crote 6mo ago
    If they cared about security, US-made routers wouldn't be exempt.
- adrianmonk 6mo ago
  > You're assuming a non-partisan technocratic process No, of course I'm not assuming that. That's not the administration's pattern of behavior, so it would be a crazy assumption. I agree it'll be abused. I just didn't feel it necessary to state the obvious.
OneLeggedCat 6mo ago
> foreign-made consumer routers can still be sold, but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb, and they are going to use FCC approval as leverage to try to increase domestic manufacturing That is not what's going to happen. What's going to happen is that anyone coughing up payola to the current executive in chief's people will get approved, and anyone that doesn't will remain blocked. This practice is currently widespread, in the form of tariffs.
- ryandrake 6mo ago
  We're going to keep seeing this in all kinds of industries throughout the next three or so years: "Your products are banned or your country is tariffed, but if you pay enough in bribes, er I mean undergo our approval process, then you'll be exempt."
  - lazide 6mo ago
    Bonus points if the ‘approval’ process exempts them from liability if misused - and there is no actual checking done as part of approval.
    - daveguy 6mo ago
      You know that's exactly how it's going to be. There are two attributes of this administration that are just as prominent as corruption -- laziness and incompetence.
  - dzonga 6mo ago
    to me the greatest damage the trump admin is doing is bringing out corruption in the open. if there's really one thing that destroys countries is corruption. being originally from a 3rd world country - I have seen it. now the US is heading towards the same path. having worked in the IOT industry before - I can tell even domestic manufactures will be forced to pay bribes soon cloaked in 'state secrets' - there's already export laws etc - but now they will be forced to pay for compliance e.g maybe donating the president's vanity project.
- 6mo ago
vineyardmike 6mo ago
> If you (a manufacturer) apply, they want information regarding corporate location, jursidiction, and ownership. They want a bill of materials with country of origin and a justification for why any foreign-sourced components can't be domestic. They want information about who provides software and updates. And they want to hear your plan to increase US domestic manufacturing and progress toward that goal. Wow NGL this sounds great if you ignore the reality that it'll be used as a partisan backdoor to enriching the administration.
sneak 6mo ago
I’m reading this as “tariffs didn’t work, so now we need different pain levers to wield against trading partners to bully them at the expense of consumers”.
krunck 6mo ago
> but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb This comb likely is designed to extract loose $1M checks from the foreign manufacturers.
sleepybrett 6mo ago
> But if you are a manufacturer, you can apply to get unbanned ("Conditional Approval"). by giving daddy trump his taste, no doubt.

giantrobot 6mo ago

Any router made by a company that "donates" (bribes) to Trump's "ballroom" or other vanity projects will get approved. Irrespective of anything else. This is just another grift.

wahern 6mo ago

> So, foreign-made consumer routers can still be sold, but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb, and they are going to use FCC approval as leverage to try to increase domestic manufacturing. You're assuming a non-partisan technocratic process, which this administration has amply shown is neither capable nor willing to provide. This requirement becomes another opportunity for Pay-to-Play, either in cash or quid pro quo, to the government directly (see, e.g., NVidia and AMD export allowances) or to Trump's inner circle (see, e.g., crypto venture regulation, merger approvals).

dcrazy 6mo ago
This is the problem with erosion of norms. We’ve all known for decades that consumer routers have shit security. We’ve all known about the risk of implants or intentional backdoors in the supply chain. And now when the FCC appears to be finally doing something about it, there’s a massive cloud of mistrust hanging over the whole idea.
- mindslight 6mo ago
  The mistrust comes from those doing it, and the clearly corrupt ways they are operating. The maggot movement is basically rooted in a lot of very real frustrations from very real longstanding problems, but the only thing it offers as solutions is performative vice signalling. People who care about the problems of digital security are not going to lean into the idea of simply banning devices based on where they were manufactured. Rather they would work at general standards and solutions to actually solve the problems - things like untying the markets for hardware/firmware/services, requiring firmware source escrow, mandating LAN protocols and controllers so every single IoT device isn't backhauling to its own mothership, and so on. Likewise people who care about domestic manufacturing first and foremost are not going to champion applying steep blanket tariffs two decades after all of that industry has already left, or using regulatory agencies to shake down manufacturers for unrelated concessions.
- selkin 6mo ago
  The FCC ain’t doing nothing about it. If anyone thinks they are, then I have an amazing US made router to sell them.
- crote 6mo ago
  If they cared about security, US-made routers wouldn't be exempt.
adrianmonk 6mo ago
> You're assuming a non-partisan technocratic process No, of course I'm not assuming that. That's not the administration's pattern of behavior, so it would be a crazy assumption. I agree it'll be abused. I just didn't feel it necessary to state the obvious.

OneLeggedCat 6mo ago

> foreign-made consumer routers can still be sold, but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb, and they are going to use FCC approval as leverage to try to increase domestic manufacturing That is not what's going to happen. What's going to happen is that anyone coughing up payola to the current executive in chief's people will get approved, and anyone that doesn't will remain blocked. This practice is currently widespread, in the form of tariffs.

ryandrake 6mo ago
We're going to keep seeing this in all kinds of industries throughout the next three or so years: "Your products are banned or your country is tariffed, but if you pay enough in bribes, er I mean undergo our approval process, then you'll be exempt."
- lazide 6mo ago
  Bonus points if the ‘approval’ process exempts them from liability if misused - and there is no actual checking done as part of approval.
  - daveguy 6mo ago
    You know that's exactly how it's going to be. There are two attributes of this administration that are just as prominent as corruption -- laziness and incompetence.
- dzonga 6mo ago
  to me the greatest damage the trump admin is doing is bringing out corruption in the open. if there's really one thing that destroys countries is corruption. being originally from a 3rd world country - I have seen it. now the US is heading towards the same path. having worked in the IOT industry before - I can tell even domestic manufactures will be forced to pay bribes soon cloaked in 'state secrets' - there's already export laws etc - but now they will be forced to pay for compliance e.g maybe donating the president's vanity project.
6mo ago

vineyardmike 6mo ago

> If you (a manufacturer) apply, they want information regarding corporate location, jursidiction, and ownership. They want a bill of materials with country of origin and a justification for why any foreign-sourced components can't be domestic. They want information about who provides software and updates. And they want to hear your plan to increase US domestic manufacturing and progress toward that goal. Wow NGL this sounds great if you ignore the reality that it'll be used as a partisan backdoor to enriching the administration.

sneak 6mo ago

I’m reading this as “tariffs didn’t work, so now we need different pain levers to wield against trading partners to bully them at the expense of consumers”.

krunck 6mo ago

> but they are going to look at them with a fine-tooth comb This comb likely is designed to extract loose $1M checks from the foreign manufacturers.

sleepybrett 6mo ago

> But if you are a manufacturer, you can apply to get unbanned ("Conditional Approval"). by giving daddy trump his taste, no doubt.