Six-Month Results of Operation Clean Carts
On May 4, 2026, the Federal Communications Commission provided an update on six months of results from Operation Clean Carts. Led by the FCC's Council on National Security, the initiative was established to remove unauthorized covered equipment from online marketplaces.
Over the six-month period, participating e-commerce platforms collectively removed or blocked more than 3 million product listings associated with insecure equipment on the agency's Covered List. Because individual listings can correspond to multiple units, the total volume of devices prevented from sale is likely higher.
FCC Chairman Carr stated: 'Operation Clean Carts has been and will continue to be a huge win for the American people, by limiting the sale of insecure gear online. We commend e-commerce platforms for working with us and developing best practices, and we urge other online sellers to follow suit.'
Regulatory Background and Prohibitions
Federal law prohibits the marketing and sale of electronic equipment and devices appearing on the FCC's Covered List, which identifies equipment determined to pose national security risks.
Operation Clean Carts serves as a coordinated engagement and enforcement initiative designed to reduce the availability of these non-compliant electronic devices to consumers across online retail channels.
E-Commerce Screening and Compliance Best Practices
According to the Commission, participating platforms have updated compliance frameworks using automated tools, product vetting mechanisms, rapid delisting protocols, and seller education programs. The FCC highlighted several practices developed across the e-commerce sector:
- Deploying artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools to detect unlawful equipment via text, image, and metadata analysis, addressing evasion tactics like altered brand names, manipulated images, or misclassified categories.
- Verifying FCC authorization by cross-referencing equipment identifiers against the FCC Equipment Authorization System to confirm compliance.
- Enforcing enhanced third-party seller onboarding standards, verifying brand authorization, and gating higher-risk categories with pre-approval requirements and compliance documentation.
- Operating automated takedown and re-listing prevention systems, including product-level and seller-level restrictions to block relisting attempts under modified names or categories.
- Broadening seller education and communication channels, providing updated compliance guidance, and streamlining coordination between platforms and the FCC.
Ongoing Oversight and Monitoring
The FCC indicated it will maintain periodic monitoring of major e-commerce platforms for unauthorized devices and Covered List equipment, working directly with online platforms to ensure ongoing adherence to federal rules.