Your Iphone was probably made with barely paid for child labor

[Deleted]

Can't say I care, it's called capitalism for a reason.

Not to mention:

The people working in these factories usually get paid more than the typical paycheck for the region.

[fartman69]

Are you serious?

Are you serious? if they arent working in an electronics factory they are going to be working in a pays much worse and has even worse conditions. Its the lesser of two evils, I wont try and justify child labour but you cant stop it with one company. Infact if Apple closed their factory in these countries they would be much worse off.

[Xevan]

In 2011, we conducted 229 audits throughout our supply chain —an 80 percent increase over 2010 —including more than 100 first-time audits. We continue to expand our program to reach deeper into our supply base, and this year we added more detailed and specialized audits that focus on safety and the environment.

Apple-designed training programs have educated more than one million supply chain employees about local laws, their rights as workers, occupational health and safety, and Apple’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

Our audits have always checked for compliance with environmental standards. In 2011, in addition to our standard audits, we launched a specialized auditing program to address environmental concerns about certain suppliers in China. Third-party environmental engineering experts worked with our team to conduct detailed audits at 14 facilities. We uncovered some violations and worked with our suppliers to correct the issues. We will expand our environmental auditing program in the coming year.

We have a zero-tolerance policy for underage labor, and we believe our system is the toughest in the electronics industry. In 2011, we broadened our age verification program and saw dramatic improvements in hiring practices by our suppliers. Cases of underage labor were down significantly, and our audits found no underage workers at our final assembly suppliers.

We offer continuing education opportunities at our suppliers’ facilities free of charge. More than 60,000 workers have enrolled in classes to study business and entrepreneurship, improve their computer skills, or learn English. And the curriculum continues to expand. We’ve also partnered with some local universities to offer courses that employees can apply toward an associate degree.

http://www.apple.com/supplierrespons...y/reports.html

[starlord]

It is NOT normal for kids to be working in electronics factories. You completely make up "oh they get paid MORE!!!! then the usual paycheck" with no source, sounding like you made it up on the spot to make yourself feel better.

I hope you enjoy selling your soul for a cell phone. A cell phone that the apple zombie virus inside you will force you to upgrade every six months to stay "cool"

to be fair, if they were at home they'd be helping on the farm/roaming the streets. "childhood" is a luxury only for developed nations.

[Halicia]

Child labour is generally seen as a very bad thing

Certainly not. The CONDITIONS of the labor are what is generally exposed as being a 'very bad thing' not so much the labor itself.

[Melpo]

And after China gets more richer this will move to Africa

Well, I can't speak for the rest of Africa, but South Africa's labour isn't cheap.

It is, however, one of the most stable regions in Africa - which doesn't say a hell of a lot to be honest. A woman can't expect to go out alone in most neighbourhoods at night. Crime is rampant and the police force corrupt. My brother in-law was pulled over by police a few months ago and told he had broken the law (reckless driving - which he hadn't done) and was going to be locked up for the weekend unless he paid the cop R1000 (about US$140). A buddy of mine was beaten with a panga (big knife/axe) a few days ago as he was out cycling - no warning, they just started hacking to get him off his bike. He was riding close to a residential area. Savages. That's what most of these people here are. Rural folk introduced to the urban centres with the mentality of savages.

I pay my part-time maid about US150 per month - and that is quite a bit above minimum wage. China's labour force is much more reliable and cheaper, so it's going to be a long time before things change in my opinion. In South Africa, a government employed street worker makes between US500 and US800 per month depending on municipality, Most of Africa is unskilled, and belong to incredibly disruptive, unreasonable and interfering labour unions.

[melodramocracy]

I hope you enjoy selling your soul for a cell phone.

You should probably sell off all your computers, as the hard drives etc. were likely made in a similar factory.

They don't put nets on the outside of buildings because it looks cool.

[Biged781]

Yeah you get your iphone so some poor kid can get a small meal for the day or week. You think its good that Children are working instead of being a ordinary child?

Yes, of course most of us would prefer that everyone in the world would live a life free of hardship. That is a laudable goal, but at the same time, it is overly idealistic. These children have *zero* chance at what you would consider a "normal" childhood (which, of course, is not normal as there are far more poor people in the world). You seem to think that these children would be spending their time in public schools and playgrounds if they weren't working in a factory. Obviously that is not the case.

The reality is that you cannot simply transform most of the world into what we would consider a healthy, middle class. You can't have it all. It is better to provide relatively high paying jobs to people who need it than nothing at all. I can guarantee you that the people you claim to defend would not give up their job in an American overseas plant for anything.

[Deleted]

Childhood as we know it is a concept for developed nations.
These children don't want a pipe dream, they want money for their starving families.
Maybe these children could be given larger pay checks. But I think this is helping a lot of families

[Lightwysh]

Typing this on my iphone. So I can sponsor a child in a 3rd world country and get an iPhone? Sounds like a win/win to me. Kid has a reasonable paying job for his area, I have a product I want. If your concerned over the amount they make, consider the guy at subway making your sandwich for minimum wage. Minimum wage is barely enough to cover rent in most cities let alone benefits and other luxuries. Most people in outsourced factories/call centers make more than the average wage for the area.

Now think about how much your subway footling would cost if the guy making made a middle class wage of approx $20/hr. No more $5 footlongs. Think about how much your iPod/iPhone/iPad would cost if they were produced in a factory run by unions. It sure as hell wouldn't be the price it is now.

[lifeinblack]

child labour is not abnormal, it is in fact the norm, throughout the whole world for all of history. we in the western world have managed to escape this within the past 100 years or so but elsewhere, as it has been for all of time, if kids dont work they dont survive. instead of trying to take away these kids jobs and therefore their ability to eat, you should be pressuring western companies that employ child labour to provide them with education, proper wages, and good working hours and conditions.

[Snakeseye0]

You think all the tweens with ugg boots boots and there cute little pink hair and 18 pounds of makeup on there face care? You think kids and adults in America care? Nothing will ever change, and this country is going down the crap hole fast.

Nothing new to see here.

[dabs]

wow, so much racism in this thread... u say u dont care, what if u were a poor black kid enslaved by capitalism? I thought so...

[Grym]

If they didn't do that my iPhone would have cost more

[videotape]

Sorry, anyone defending Foxconn and the like are <mod snip>. It enrages me, so please excuse the language.

Apple contracts out their manufacturing to the lowest bidder, naturally. Unfortunately, because they have zero ethical standards, these contractors include people who literally drive their workforce to suicide. We're talking 18-hour shifts, on your feet, no food, no break, no bathroom.

You know what their solution to the suicides was, in response to public outcry? They so graciously forced their workers to sign a contract agreeing that they would not commit suicide (lest their remaining family members suffer for it), and had nets installed all around the work and housing campus to ensure that people could no longer hurl themselves from the windows to die.

A little thing called "human rights" might not be popular with other governments, but unless you would be willing throw away your own rights for that shiny piece of shit iPad, you should really think twice about what kind of horror your money directly supports.

Or just shrug it off, play with your gadget <mod snip>. That works too.

Mod Warning: Watch the insults. Post respectfully.

[Deleted]

Are you serious? if they arent working in an electronics factory they are going to be working in a pays much worse and has even worse conditions. Its the lesser of two evils, I wont try and justify child labour but you cant stop it with one company. Infact if Apple closed their factory in these countries they would be much worse off.

I think your right... Although your being a bit of a prick if you think that justify's what Apple have done in this example.

Apple haven't done anything to try and improve the condition in these factories which they know children work in when they are one of the richest companies in the world - They've just used them for what they, cheap child labour to gain a much higher profit margin.

Can't say I care, it's called capitalism for a reason.

I'm sure if you were 10 years old brought up into child labor you wouldn't give a fuck about politics or have any say in it for that matter

[ati87]

Are you serious? if they arent working in an electronics factory they are going to be working in a pays much worse and has even worse conditions. Its the lesser of two evils, I wont try and justify child labour but you cant stop it with one company. Infact if Apple closed their factory in these countries they would be much worse off.

The thing what makes child labour wrong is that you take advantage of children for your own benefit, also even if it was adults the conditions in some of the factories are just dangerous and disgusting.

to quote Mitt Romney 'Corporations are people my friends' except they aren't people when it comes to ethics and other 'annoying' things that companies do that we as a society consider wrong.

Their is no excuse for child labor, if it is wrong in Europe/NA then we should not try to justify.

It may be beneficial for the child to work instead being forced to steal or starve to death. But as long we allow it to happen those area's and children will always be poor and they will never be able to break away from poverty.

[energumeno]

the wonders of moral relativism.

Childhood as we know it is a concept for developed nations.
These children don't want a pipe dream, they want money for their starving families.
Maybe these children could be given larger pay checks. But I think this is helping a lot of families

No its not. Those children do not want to work, the want to be happy, a fucked up society pretty much MAKES them work. Some people could say this is the libertarian dream, a country where the government does not create school neither provides basic health care for the poor. Where it is nearly impossible to get a better life unless you are born into a rich family.

A life like this is terrible for the children, terrible for their parents, terrible for their country. Their children and grandchildren will do the same thing, until the local resources are extinguished and they are left to rot.

If the companies where under legal obligation of paying more and giving them decent hours of work, and pay higher taxes (if they pay something at all) their country would slowly gets better (even with child labor being the norm for the next decades). Very likely a few of the companies that outsource to places like these, wouldn't and there would be more jobs on other countries.

Who buys products of companies who do these kinds of thing is only condemning people to a very sad future. All that so you can have a phone that is 'cool'.

[haxartus]

Child labor is quite bad, but otherwise these families will starve to death, so the child has to work somewhere. Where do you prefer to see it ? On the street, dealing drugs, working with street gangs, or in a factory making iPhones ?
Factories like these provide jobs for entire families with a higher paycheck than the rest of the jobs in the region, allowing them a higher standard of living.

[Grym]

but unless you would be willing throw away your own rights for that shiny piece of shit iPad, you should really think twice about what kind of horror your money directly support. Or just shrug it off, play with your gadget in ignorance, get fat, and die stupid. That works too.

I like my iPhone, no I am not willing to throw away MY right to obtain one, I wouldn't mind throwing away someone else's right for one though.

This doesn't happen to strickly phones, if you are such a white knight about this topic, there are A LOT of things (mainly technology based, like TV, computer components and such) have the same issue, you better look at each computer components you are using and where they source their factories. Clothing is another thing, a lot of brand will have factories in China and have the same issue, some are reported for and ignored (people prefer their clothings to stay cheap), some are just never reported.

You can be a white knight in this case, but if you are ignorant in other cases (clothings, other technology gadgets), you are just as ignorant as the one you call ignorants.

This world will NEVER be an ideal world, until the country is developed things like child labour will always happen, Europe and US had their fair share of slavery and child labour back in the days, we just came out of it once we are developed, same for those countries, they just need to get out of that era first, until then, it is the norm for them, thinking you can just change it all by protesting against it or stop buying iPhone is just silly. In fact, those children can now at least have a meal, if the Apple now stop using them, unless the factory find itself another client, the child is making NOTHING and is going to starve.

So until then, I will play with my gadget in ignorance, get fat and die stupid, but I am happy.