Foxconn Allegedly Hid Underage Workers During Inspection

all aplle fanbois want is the iphone 5 and the maxipad 3. they don't care if an 8 year old or a 40 year old assembles it. just like the nike crowd

Some people like their products made by underaged workers...

Does anyone really wonder anymore why American companies are flinging money at China? No worker protection, no environmental protection, nothing at all to get in the way of massive profits. And the Chinese government doesn't care, this is all a bid to be become a world powerhouse, and we're feeding that ambition to make a few extra bucks. I bet we'll all be surprised when China takes over the world. But at least our companies' stockholders will have made a few extra bucks while selling out the future...

This is China's problem. Why do people think everything is America's problem? Why does any company have a duty to ensure how its suppliers are doing business? It's not like Apple projects this humanitarian, green image, so what's the problem?

Blame the Chinese government for not doing anything. But no, this of course is 100% Apple's fault. The Chinese government is filled with angels.

Seriously, all China is good for is cheap labor. Without it, they wouldn't be close to the position that they are now so I don't see this stopping anytime soon.

As components get smaller, they will need tinier and tinier children assembling their products...

I'm not surpise

This shouldn't just be targeted toward Apple, considering there are dozens of other companies that use foxconn and should also step up.

I mean I wouldn't want to pay American workers to make an iPad, that thing would cost well over $1000

I would be happy to buy apple products, if they bring manufacturing jobs back to the USA. They have more cash reserves than what the US government has, so it shouldn't be much of a financial excuse to do so. Look at intel, they still build factories in the US and making high quality products at a profit.

Chinese has no intention to take over the world. Now they are more concerned about how to survive their completely polluted environment.

I have bought many apples during the years... decades...
they are "manufactured" on a tree of some kind I hear...

How's that tree called...
I just called an Apple Tree, is free of "i"'s, free of work violations, and they taste great!

Not necessarily. I'm pretty sure you don't need to understand quantum physics to assemble it. I'm quite sure the average worker earning minimum wage in America is more intelligent than a Chinese child working for $0.25/hour. The only major difference is the employment benefits and insurance which could be partially avoided through part time work anyway.

But it would do wonders for the American economy. Sure the cost of products would go up, but people would also have more money to spend on said products. We'd be feeding our own economy and not the third world's.

Instead of having a "duty" to fix every other country, let's try to focus on ourselves for once. Companies in the states should have a greater duty to not harm the American economy, than to protect human rights in countries that have nothing to do with us. Why do we have to be Martyrs and sacrifice ourselves while the rest of the world stands by and waits?

That's why I always propose that for the holidays or gift occasions, instead of buying gift cards for people to purchase cheap chinese crap, buy them a voucher to have a repair, modification, etc done on their home, car, lawn, whatever. Just as long as the majority of the money is spent advancing OUR economy.

Think of your family. Your children and their children will thank you in the long run.

Its standard ethics.... You knowingly contract a business that engages in unethical practices makes the all parties fully responsible. The focus should not rest completely on Apple's shoulders since HP, Dell, and many many other hardware makers rely on Foxconn to create their products. All parties are guilty and should make TREMENDOUS efforts to improve on the moral, work conditions, and employment practices at Foxconn. Foxconn does not have the power in these situations. Without the contracts Foxconn will cease to exist. Without Foxconn, these electronic manufactures will find other methods of mass production.

This does not excuse child labor. The harsh conditions and long hours of work is not healthy for the child and it also completely blocks the child from ever getting a proper education. No child should be neglected a proper education and a chance to become what they truly want.

I would rather pay $1,000 for a iPad even if it still came from China if it meant not screwing over even a single child for my own personal first world enjoyments. I think it is sickening that our society is willing to sacrifice the well-being of children to save ourselves a few dollars.

Then go protest in China or try to pass legislation there. Until their government starts giving a damn, why should I?

Obviously if they know an inspection is coming they're going to try and fix everything that can fail them. That's why these inspections are usually done unannounced.

That's incredibly insightful. Apathy is one of the key indicators of stupidity and arrogance. Go sit in a GOP debate audience where you belong.

There are many kids in this country that could use a job in a factory. Rather than simply sit around playing games and getting fat. Noone wants to see any kids "abused", but having a job isn't necessarily abuse.

It all comes down to one word: GREED!
People around the world are the same. They all motivated by GREED. Doesn't matter if it is the Chinese or the Americans. Hey you all Americans, go watch "Food Inc". It is a documentary about the food industry in America. Also go watch "Inside Job". It is a documentary about how the American bank and insurance company brought down the world economy in 2008. GREED is the driving force; whether it is GREED for money, power, sex, or etc. IT IS ALL GREED!

Wow, that is some epically bad English. The rest of the quote is ok though; maybe it's a typo?

I'm pretty sure these 16 and 17 year old kids applied for the job rather then Foxconn busting down doors and dragging little kids to go work in their factories.

It is known that people who live in poverty "grow-up" faster. Look at the history of any nation. For people who are saying "oh these kids should be getting an education, etc." If you have never lived in poverty, you have no idea what you are talking about. Do you really think these kids can sit down and read a book when their last meal was 2 days ago?

Why do you think China still gets money from other nations? Even though China itself is filthy rich, the general public of China still lives in 3rd world status. Once the middle-income society in China starts to boom and grow bigger they will fix their own problems. History repeats itself, it happens to any great nation that is on the rise.

I never understood the logic behind an announced inspection. Really if I am a business owner doing something shady and I know there is an inspection coming the next day I am gonna do my best to make sure everything is working to code for that day. An inspection like this that checks for working conditions should be completely random and unannounced, the inspectors should just show up with no warning at all and at random times to see what is really going on. Telling the companies that they are gonna be there on Tuesday at 2pm then 99 times out of 100 the inspection will be perfect since they will have prepared. Really if it was me I would set a date and time and then show up on a completely different day to get them when they are not looking

Apple haters will only point fingers at Apple when this issue fall squarely on the Chinese Gov't that fails to uphold its Business Ethics policy agreement with US companies. Ridiculous. Its teh Chinese Gov't that doesn't care.

Wow, and so is yours.. Judging an entire political body, and their supporters, as trash. Nice one. The simple fact is.. It is China's problem. They out number us more than 3 to 1 over here. I'm not going to break my wallet trying to help them, when quite simply, there are much bigger problems over here that need to be addressed...and desperately. Fix the biggest problems first. For example.. Paying all my utilities, cell phone, internet, etc, ain't gonna do me a lick of good if in doing so I ignore paying my rent on time.

China has problems. I feel for them. However this society needs to stop screwing future generations of Americians via National Debt, and shady deals. I care about people, everywhere, however my family does now, and always will, come before my neighbor, and so on, to end with other people in different countries with different governments, that should be doing the same for them. Fix their damn government first. Everything else is a damn bandaid on a bullet wound.

China is buying up vast amounts of gold. Very likely, within a year or two, they will announce that their currency, the yuan, will be backed by gold (the way the U.S. Dollar used to be). The dollar will lose its status as the world's reserve currency. US standard of living may very well get cut in half.
I am an American, but I don't blame the Chinese one little bit for this. We've got some very rough times again, but I believe it will spark a remarkable American resurgence, but one based on solid values and productivity, not greed, dishonesty, and game playing. I find it ironic that the expression "May you live in interesting times" is supposedly an ancient Chinese curse.

true that theres alot of companies that use Foxconn, but most of the problems in Foxconn are coming from the Apple manufacturing branch. Apple being greedy as they are pay minimum to Foxconn, and Foxconn barely made profit, so they bought cheaper materials and cut back on maintenance. Apple demands for alot of devices to be made really fast and cheap, and foxconn can barely keep up with the demand, so they force overtime hours and hire kids to hurry up work. But Apple never slows down, instead they keep demanding more. Since apple barely pays much to foxconn, they were forced to try and make profit by buying cheaper stuff and some more toxic(but cheap) materials, hence the big ipad manufacturing explotion last year.

The other companies like samsung and others, have their share of labor faults, but none are as demanding and greedy as apple has been.

Wheres your proof that Apple is pay less than competitors? Any links supporing your statements will be nice but doubt they exist.

So true...

Apple doesn't care hence why it was a scheduled inspection? Do the FEDS give drug dealers a heads up basically saying ok guys we'll be stopping by on Tuesday next week!

The way Apple has handled the inspection and the wages they pay the workers themselves shows is proof it's all about the money keeping investors happy. China is America's modern day form of sharecropping just on a international level.

To paraphrase everything I just said I'll just leave you with this intelligent quote from a very smart man who was actively speaking out on behalf of this situation 6 years ago.

"It's the contemporary form of slavery, they call it slave labour But they don't prosecute them 'cause it's how they make paper" Jedi Mind Tricks - Shadow Business

txsouthpaw said GOP debate audience, not the Republican party as a whole. Read the comment properly before you get your blood boiled.

"...Apple just really doesn't care because company representatives have actually seen labor violations during their visits.." Somehow I pictured a white man wearing a suit walking in to the factory floor and all the workings reach their hands to him pleading "save us! save us please!"