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States Sue TP-Link for Deceptive Practices
9 Oct
Summary
- Four states filed lawsuits alleging TP-Link misled customers about China entanglement.
- Lawsuits claim TP-Link violated consumer protection laws with deceptive trade acts.
- TP-Link denies claims, stating U.S. devices are made in Vietnam and it's independent.
Four U.S. states have initiated lawsuits against TP-Link, alleging deceptive trade practices and misleading consumers about the company's connections to China. Iowa, Florida, Montana, and Nebraska are among the states that filed suit this week, echoing concerns about the safety and origin of TP-Link's routers. These actions follow an earlier FCC ban on most routers not manufactured in the U.S.
Regulators and the states involved question TP-Link's claims of severing ties with China. While TP-Link states its U.S. operations moved to California in 2024 and that router components are now manufactured in Vietnam, reports suggest a significant portion of components are still imported from China. Nebraska's lawsuit specifically cites alleged ongoing ties between TP-Link and a Chinese military contractor.
TP-Link corporate affairs officer Steve Kovsky has called the lawsuits "built on false premises," providing documentation to regulators that he claims proves devices sold in the U.S. are manufactured in Vietnam and that TP-Link Systems is an independent U.S. company. The company previously met with the FCC in April to seek an exemption from the router ban, without success. TP-Link is reportedly undergoing the standard FCC approval process for new products.
