The United States government is contemplating a potential ban on TP-Link routers over concerns regarding national security. According to The Washington Post, this initiative is backed by multiple agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security. Investigations into the company's activities have been ongoing since last year.
Officials are worried that TP-Link, despite its separation from the Chinese TP-Link Technologies in 2022, could still be influenced by Chinese laws that require companies to assist Chinese intelligence. This, they believe, poses a risk of using TP-Link devices for espionage or malware distribution.
TP-Link denies any connections to China and asserts that a ban would harm American companies rather than Chinese interests.
TP-Link controls up to 60% of the router market in the United States, partly due to its low prices, which allow it to outcompete rivals. The potential ban on the brand has added tension to the trade negotiations between Washington and Beijing.
According to The Washington Post, even with recent progress in negotiations, the issue of TP-Link remains a political tool for the American administration.