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I like how people get outraged at US tech giants but gracefully ignore the fact that Glencore which actually is the beneficiary of exploiting the children is ba

by qaq 7y ago

I like how people get outraged at US tech giants but gracefully ignore the fact that Glencore which actually is the beneficiary of exploiting the children is based in Europe. It's no small target either with annual revenue of 219.8 billion in 2018 vs Google's 136.

bjornjaja 7y ago
Im sure the lawyers thought of that angle, but the mining company currently doesn’t do anything to effect change so they probably won’t unless their customers (tech companies) demand a change. It really is unfortunate. The mining company should build out proper infrastructure but I’m guessing they just delegate to (corrupt) locals. This is no different than all the global environmental issues we’re facing with large scale production facilities (bottled water, petroleum, etc. are a huge problem too). The indigenous populations are getting fucked over because they live in remote areas prime for exploitation. Then the factories close down and don’t clean anything up. I should point out this is also happening in developed countries like Canada and the USA. For instance, what is the difference between children mining cobalt and children being exposed to mercury poisoning because their rivers upstream there’s a paper plant dumping toxic waste into the food supply in Ontario, or petrol industry in Texas poisoning neighboring schools with chemical fumes.
- qaq 7y ago
  This is not a mishap Glencore is tied to so much corruption (ties to every dictator imaginable)and despicable practices across the globe.
- sjg007 7y ago
  The mining company will only respond to supply and demand.
- SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
  But I mean, you see what’s wrong here right? The lawyers thought about it from the angle of who’s actually responsible, but realized that suing that company probably wouldn’t accomplish much lasting change. So they made up reasons to also sue popular tech companies, in hopes that embarrassing them will help serve the lawyers’ goals. That’s not how the process is supposed to work.
  - qaq 7y ago
    "And I would encourage the people at Glencore to take this seriously" is the harshest thing they actually say about them . The company that fronts for people responsible for unimaginable amount of horrors from Putin's inner circle to Dictators all over the world.
  - bjornjaja 7y ago
    Absolutely, but when the process itself doesn’t work, then what? Gotta take a different approach and apply pressure somehow.
doubleInt 7y ago
Glencore's statement is at the link below. https://www.glencore.com/media-and-insights/news/Glencore-statement-on-child-labour-allegations https://www.glencore.com/media-and-insights/news/Glencore-st...
papreclip 7y ago
People really seem to be sharpening the axe for our big tech companies these days. Personally I find it disturbing. These companies are a river of prosperity for our people, especially software developers
- Gibbon1 7y ago
  Um... Only software developers.
  - frockington1 7y ago
    And human resources departments, and finance departments, and investors, and people with 401ks, and people who depend on taxes, and anyone who sells goods etc... They produce a lot of value to the US economy
    - dvdhnt 7y ago
      > and people who depend on taxes What is that supposed to mean? We all depend on taxes. Have you heard of public infrastructure? NASA? DoJ? It's super disingenuous to pretend that the average employee is somehow getting massive value from giant tech companies. Someone would need to be very (probably intentionally) oblivious to believe that.
      - forgotmyhnacc 7y ago
        OP meant people employed by local city and state governments, that the tech company resides in probably.
- dgudkov 7y ago
  Big tech companies maybe don't put kids into mines, but they have other ethical issues (privacy, manipulation with public opinion, etc). I don't think anyone can reliably tell that their issues are more ethical or less ethical than child slavery.
  - 7y ago

by qaq 7y ago

bjornjaja 7y ago

Im sure the lawyers thought of that angle, but the mining company currently doesn’t do anything to effect change so they probably won’t unless their customers (tech companies) demand a change. It really is unfortunate. The mining company should build out proper infrastructure but I’m guessing they just delegate to (corrupt) locals. This is no different than all the global environmental issues we’re facing with large scale production facilities (bottled water, petroleum, etc. are a huge problem too). The indigenous populations are getting fucked over because they live in remote areas prime for exploitation. Then the factories close down and don’t clean anything up. I should point out this is also happening in developed countries like Canada and the USA. For instance, what is the difference between children mining cobalt and children being exposed to mercury poisoning because their rivers upstream there’s a paper plant dumping toxic waste into the food supply in Ontario, or petrol industry in Texas poisoning neighboring schools with chemical fumes.

qaq 7y ago
This is not a mishap Glencore is tied to so much corruption (ties to every dictator imaginable)and despicable practices across the globe.
sjg007 7y ago
The mining company will only respond to supply and demand.
SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
But I mean, you see what’s wrong here right? The lawyers thought about it from the angle of who’s actually responsible, but realized that suing that company probably wouldn’t accomplish much lasting change. So they made up reasons to also sue popular tech companies, in hopes that embarrassing them will help serve the lawyers’ goals. That’s not how the process is supposed to work.
- qaq 7y ago
  "And I would encourage the people at Glencore to take this seriously" is the harshest thing they actually say about them . The company that fronts for people responsible for unimaginable amount of horrors from Putin's inner circle to Dictators all over the world.
- bjornjaja 7y ago
  Absolutely, but when the process itself doesn’t work, then what? Gotta take a different approach and apply pressure somehow.

doubleInt 7y ago

Glencore's statement is at the link below. https://www.glencore.com/media-and-insights/news/Glencore-statement-on-child-labour-allegations https://www.glencore.com/media-and-insights/news/Glencore-st...

papreclip 7y ago

People really seem to be sharpening the axe for our big tech companies these days. Personally I find it disturbing. These companies are a river of prosperity for our people, especially software developers

Gibbon1 7y ago
Um... Only software developers.
- frockington1 7y ago
  And human resources departments, and finance departments, and investors, and people with 401ks, and people who depend on taxes, and anyone who sells goods etc... They produce a lot of value to the US economy
  - dvdhnt 7y ago
    > and people who depend on taxes What is that supposed to mean? We all depend on taxes. Have you heard of public infrastructure? NASA? DoJ? It's super disingenuous to pretend that the average employee is somehow getting massive value from giant tech companies. Someone would need to be very (probably intentionally) oblivious to believe that.
    - forgotmyhnacc 7y ago
      OP meant people employed by local city and state governments, that the tech company resides in probably.
dgudkov 7y ago
Big tech companies maybe don't put kids into mines, but they have other ethical issues (privacy, manipulation with public opinion, etc). I don't think anyone can reliably tell that their issues are more ethical or less ethical than child slavery.
- 7y ago