It started around 10 years ago. Had a basic idea, where it will provide a platform to anyone to write anything(read that as literally anything), about any product, service he/she is unhappy or even Happy about. I was one of the early members, just needed a space to say something about my experiences. Now these were early days of "the jaago grahak campaign", where the consumer was given the right to good service and product, but it was still a way which went through courts.
In the court, no one is bothered except you about your own harrassment. The judge is not affected, neither is the seller since it takes a lot of time to get justice. When a person is upset about something he wants the whole world to listen to him. Thats where Mr Mouthshut.com, came in. The creator of it.
It created a platform where bad experience of even ONE customer turned out to be a pre-emptive strike on bad sellers.Because, right about the time mouthshut was growing, google was also developing technologies to track real-time posts & updates on websites. Maybe it was a co-incidence. You search for one thing, and google helped search the place where it was being talked about the most.( Before ad-words, since now its paid) . Hey, Google used to be honest!
Anyways, This freedom of speech was becoming a reality and such that it made the companies nervous.Since every kid, guy, girl is using internet now, you cant stop information from reaching them. Out came section 66A. The business-cons aka sellers got hold of the platform?!
Crores of defamation notices, Law, Jail terms and the best Threat calls. They used it all. And many caved. But One man stood. Maybe he thought lets take a chance. If I am going down, I am not going down easy. There will be a fight. No matter what the result maybe, Mouthshut.com didnt became what it is, in one day. Its not going down in one day either.
Congratulations Mr Faisal Farooqui.