From Amnesty International:
Major electronics brands, including Apple, Samsung and Sony, are failing to do basic checks to ensure that cobalt mined by child labourers has not been used in their products
If true, this report paints the entire industry—not just Apple—in a shameful light. But as I’ve written before, Apple is uniquely positioned to address such injustices:
Maybe it’s unfair to expect Apple to shoulder the cost of responsible manufacturing. But the truth is that no other company is in a position—financially or philosophically—to effect such a change.
As consumers, we also bear some responsibility here. Too often, we’re content to ignore the unjust systems that deliver the latest iPhone or laptop to our doorstep.
But what if we told device makers that we valued human life over battery life? Would you be willing to boycott unjust practices—and forgo your biannual iPhone upgrade? Let’s assume that Apple upped its vigilance over the supply chain, then baked the cost of that oversight into its device prices. How much extra would you pay for a “conscience-friendly” iPhone?
Matt Hauger 