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Apple story fabricated
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[Deleted User]
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This is one of the most fascinating media stories I have come across in awhile. Do you think this show truly reported conditions in China working for Apple or was it fabricated? It's so hard to tell.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/press-here/This-American-Life-Retracts-Apple-Story-142954155.html
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/blogs/press-here/This-American-Life-Retracts-Apple-Story-142954155.html
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http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/business/ieconomy-apples-ipad-and-the-human-costs-for-workers-in-china.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
The basic issue is exactly the same (and has been reported by other papers and those papers have not been Apple-attacked).
It's just this particular story apparently was a little loose with the facts. The real facts are just as bad.
"The richest 70 members of China’s legislature added more to their wealth last year than the combined net worth of all 535 members of the U.S. Congress, the president and his Cabinet, and the nine Supreme Court justices.The net worth of the 70 richest delegates in China’s National People’s Congress, which opens its annual session on March 5, rose to 565.8 billion yuan ($89.8 billion) in 2011, a gain of $11.5 billion from 2010, according to figures from the Hurun Report, which tracks the country’s wealthy. That compares to the $7.5 billion net worth of all 660 top officials in the three branches of the U.S. government."
http://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2012/02/china-fact-of-the-day-6.html
I'm sure many field workers in american farms are treated worse than foxconn workers. This entire issue has been ridiculous. I'm sure those rich unelected corrupt legislatures and stupidly rich folks in china are finding it hilarious western folks are trying to keep their workers happy.
Way to move the goalposts.
Yes, no one denies the Chinese government are as corrupt as they come, but that doesn't mean pressure should not be put on a huge corporation like Apple to improve things for workers in the factories of their suppliers.
It seems to be OK to criticise and demonstrate against Nike, or Burberry for doing so.
It seems OK to criticise and demonstrate against the drug companies for their practices in Africa etc.
It seems OK to criticise and demonstrate against coffee companies and cocoa producers and their practises.
It seems OK to do the same for companies like McDonald's and Coca Cola.
But don't dare say the same about Apple, or their users will be on to you and dismiss the criticisms.
The journalist in the radio broadcast mentioned in the OP was stupid to fabricate scenes etc., but the overall criticisms levelled at Apple and Foxconn are perfectly valid concerns.
Sorry but you don't seem to understand what you are doing when folks complain about apple instead of the chinese communist government and the chinese companies under its power. To place blame outside the system by focusing on apple you only deflect blame from the true problem, the unelected and corrupt government and system, and in a perverse way protect them from the wrath of their people, who frankly should be upset if bad things are happening to them. The criticisms are stupid because they are directed at the wrong parties, and only cement the hold on power and control by the ones who are actually responsible.