Router manufacturer gets caught posting fake reviews, sues reviewer for negative review,

[vivek.krishnan]

Someone on TE is selling a Medialink router, and has updated his title to reflect that it was "the number one selling router on Amazon"

Being naturally curious, and as a networking chap, just decided to see what was so great about the same.

Came away blown by several things:

Firstly, the manufacturer is Medialink, and they post fake positive (duh!) reviews, apparently. Woah.

A redditor, trevely, noticed the same, posted a negative review claiming the company does the same, and that the routers are crap. Not to mention, they are Tenda rebrands - LOL!

Medialink responds with a lawsuit, filmy ishtyle, review nikaalo warna ... teri toh ...

Chap edits the review, posts the lawsuit details to reddit.

Streisand effect. Nothing more to say. Amazon also got shitloads of negative reviews about Medialink stuff.

Links :

Fake review : http://www.amazon.com/review/R2941MWQD7J6RI/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_alt_1

Screenshot of the same : http://imgur.com/BkJYbxw

Reddit post : http://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/24vy8q/getting_sued_for_amazon_review/

News article : http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20...-lawsuit-writing-negative-amazon-review.shtml

Another article : http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...dditor-for-negative-amazon-com-router-review/

 

[vivek.krishnan]

My opinion : Rebranded routers are usually crap, since they dont get updates at all. Plus, its usually overpriced. And finally, I have used an iBall Baton 150 Mbps router, which was crap on stock firmware, and since its a rebranded TP Link 741, flashed it to OpenWRT, which is awesome.

 

[ayanavish]

After reading all these thought they might be a China based company. But was wrong, Medialink is based out of NJ: http://www.medialinkproducts.com/contact.php. Wonder what Amazon will do about all these.

 

[prateekS]

I did post in his thread, that medicine is no more allowed to sell on amazon.

 

[babhishek]

one word - interesting !!

 

[vivek.krishnan]

After reading all these thought they might be a China based company. But was wrong, Medialink is based out of NJ: http://www.medialinkproducts.com/contact.php. Wonder what Amazon will do about all these.

Based in NJ has got no meaning if they source it from Tenda. As for what Amazon will do about the rest - Nothing.

Update : I forgot to add two more links, both mainly from the libel point of view of Medialink (SLAPP). Basically, trevely could have been sued and won, but for the Streisand effect. Hurrah.

http://consumerist.com/2014/05/08/how-does-a-negative-amazon-review-result-in-threats-of-a-lawsuit/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_public_participation

Also, some of the Q&As as well as some of the reviews are really funny : http://www.amazon.com/Medialink-Wir...ql?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B00A3YN0Z0&cdSort=best

 

[iPwnz]

rofl this made my day

Spoiler

the router is actually a set of car headlight bulbs

 

[avi]

bawahahahhaa.... Good job @vivek.krishnan

number no.1 router on amazon my ass.

 

[ayanavish]

Epic: http://www.amazon.com/Medialink-Wir...ql?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B00A3YN0Z0&cdSort=best
Does this router make pancakes ? 12 days ago
If it did, at least then it would do something.