Samsung fined for slanderous marketing by Taiwanese regulators
Samsung was fined on Thursday by the Taiwanese government for paying marketing companies to attack rival HTC in a slanderous internet campaign, one day after the Korean electronics giant was forced to apologize to Chinese consumers for hardware problems with its smartphones.
The HTC One, which reportedly prompted Samsung's unfair marketing campaign
A fine in Taiwan
In the conclusion of a case in which the company was accused of using "dirty tricks" against its smaller rival, Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission has fined Samsung NT$10 million New Taiwan Dollars ($340,000) for ordering an internet smear campaign against Taiwanese phone maker HTC. The marketing company in charge of executing the campaign on Samsung's behalf was also fined to the tune of NT$3 million ($102,000), reports BBC News.
When the accusations were made public earlier this year, Samsung Taiwan immediately put a halt to its internet marketing initiatives, including "all marketing activities that involve the posting of anonymous comments."
Samsung later admitted to the wrongdoing, saying the "incident was unfortunate, and occurred due to insufficient understanding of these [the company's] fundamental principles."
Thursday's fine marks Samsung's second punishment from Taiwan's FTC this year. The regulatory body slapped Samsung with a NT$300,000 ($102,000) in the spring for false advertising claims related to one of its Galaxy series handsets.
An apology in China
Meanwhile, on Wednesday of this week, Samsung issued a written apology to Chinese consumers following a China Central Television report regarding hardware flaws Samsung's Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 devices. A firmware problem in the devices can reportedly lead to memory chip damage, forcing the handsets to crash multiple times per day.
"We welcome the scrutiny from the media. Due to problems with management that brought inconvenience to our customers, the company expresses its sincerest of apologies," read a message on Samsung's Chinese website, according to ComputerWorld.
"Exposing" the practices of foreign companies and forcing hat-in-hand apologies is a somewhat common story for China's state-run television service. CCTV extracted a personal apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year over Apple's warranty policies in the world's most populous nation, and coffee house Starbucks is currently in the network's sights.
The HTC One, which reportedly prompted Samsung's unfair marketing campaign
A fine in Taiwan
In the conclusion of a case in which the company was accused of using "dirty tricks" against its smaller rival, Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission has fined Samsung NT$10 million New Taiwan Dollars ($340,000) for ordering an internet smear campaign against Taiwanese phone maker HTC. The marketing company in charge of executing the campaign on Samsung's behalf was also fined to the tune of NT$3 million ($102,000), reports BBC News.
When the accusations were made public earlier this year, Samsung Taiwan immediately put a halt to its internet marketing initiatives, including "all marketing activities that involve the posting of anonymous comments."
Samsung later admitted to the wrongdoing, saying the "incident was unfortunate, and occurred due to insufficient understanding of these [the company's] fundamental principles."
Thursday's fine marks Samsung's second punishment from Taiwan's FTC this year. The regulatory body slapped Samsung with a NT$300,000 ($102,000) in the spring for false advertising claims related to one of its Galaxy series handsets.
An apology in China
Meanwhile, on Wednesday of this week, Samsung issued a written apology to Chinese consumers following a China Central Television report regarding hardware flaws Samsung's Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2 devices. A firmware problem in the devices can reportedly lead to memory chip damage, forcing the handsets to crash multiple times per day.
Samsung blamed third-party apps for causing the hardware malfunctions
"We welcome the scrutiny from the media. Due to problems with management that brought inconvenience to our customers, the company expresses its sincerest of apologies," read a message on Samsung's Chinese website, according to ComputerWorld.
"Exposing" the practices of foreign companies and forcing hat-in-hand apologies is a somewhat common story for China's state-run television service. CCTV extracted a personal apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year over Apple's warranty policies in the world's most populous nation, and coffee house Starbucks is currently in the network's sights.
Comments
How about doing the same here? And there? And everywhere?
Would you sue them in a box? Would you sue them with a fox? Would you sue them on a train? Sue them, sue them! End their reign.
I'm shocked!
- Samsung isn't responsible if someone they hire steps out of bounds.
- Apple does it too, so it's OK.
Did I miss any?
Bribing Scumbag lowlife copycats is the image they are painting of themselves! Just like their own CEO
Love it Sammy... Keep it Up!
Truth about Samsung:
Not popular among youth. Cooking the benchmarks. Lying about activations. Plunging global handset share in Q3. Declining share price.
Okay Apple. Do I get my check now??
Jk
Oh wait. Sammy makes Apple' displays and chips.
Okay nvm Sammy. I heart u after all lol.
Samsung however has been on a rant against all of its competitors including against Apple.
Most of it is pure FUD and a lot of it is lies which are now starting to catch up with them.
They even lie in court so Samsung deserves all that's coming to them.
Proof has been shown in court this past week. Samsung had confidential documents from Apple that were only for there lawyers to see. They basically broadcasted all of that content through out the company and then tried to use that information to make new deals with its competitors. They were caught red handed and now the judge has a very dim view of them in light of the facts.
They steal, cheat, lie, copy everyones ideas and try and call them there own.
You won't ever catch me with a Samsung product, not with that kind of reputation.
Mostly, yes. I do love the Jon Hodgman commercials with Justin Long. Hodgman made those commercials work.
Apple should hire Hodgman to do their keynotes... Curley, Moe, and Larry just don't have the talent at presenting that Jobs had. Hodgman would kill it.
Bloggers accidentally uploaded comments to our servers but none of our executives studied them.
Would love to see Shamesung getting more of such exposure worldwide across the media!
Someone I know is a structural engineer (designs HRSGs) who spent several months in Seoul dealing with Samsung Heavy Industries. According to him the Koreans are not very popular in Asia. They have a reputation for unethical behavior and shady business practices. The Chinese and the Japanese hate their guts apparently.
They should have just hired Florian Mueller like everyone else.
Just the /s, you know you will get flamed by those that don't know you
Someone I know is a structural engineer (designs HSRGs) who spent several months in Seoul dealing with Samsung Heavy Industries. According to him the Koreans are not very popular in Asia. They have a reputation for unethical behavior and shady business practices. The Chinese and the Japanese hate their guts apparently.
Pretty much the same the world over for any distinct nationalities that live in close proximity to one another...
Mostly, yes. I do love the Jon Hodgman commercials with Justin Long. Hodgman made those commercials work.
I'm not sure those commercials count as being "against" their competitors, since in this case the competitors were equated with the much more generally likable John Hodgman. Unless they were trying to sell Macs to Amanda Seyfried, of course.
I'm not sure those commercials count as being "against" their competitors, since in this case the competitors were equated with the much more generally likable John Hodgman. Unless they were trying to sell Macs to Amanda Seyfried, of course.
Right.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eEG5LVXdKo