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I see no way anyone could make this bit of hardware this cheaply without some pretty nasty exploitation going on somewhere up the chain. Count me out.

• microtherion 6y ago
  You might be surprised at how human ingenuity sometimes finds a way to make expensive hardware using just as much exploitation…
  • dmje 6y ago
    Um, having trouble understanding what you mean...?
    • microtherion 6y ago
      You're taking the low price as evidence that the device was manufactured by exploitative means. I was pointing out that at least the converse is not true: A high price is absolutely not evidence that something was NOT manufactured by exploitative means.
      • dmje 6y ago
        For sure, but you could reasonably claim that higher end manufacturers at least get slightly more attention from an oversight POV. Although not a direct correlation you could probably make some connection reasonably well between expense of gadget and extent of media / public interest in the manufacture / supply chain.
• cambalache 6y ago
  As if by buying the 1000+ USD Apple phone you are not supporting the same system. Newsflash, there is no ethical tech shopping, there will always be someone exploited along the line.
  • dmje 6y ago
    Reading this on a Fairphone. It's worth trying for something better, dude, even if you aren't ever likely to get to perfection.
    • microtherion 6y ago
      So I've been looking through their supplier list: https://www.fairphone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FP3_List_Only_Suppliers.pdf https://www.fairphone.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/FP3_Lis... In what way would you consider this superior to Apple's corresponding record? https://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2020_Progress_Report.pdf https://www.apple.com/supplier-responsibility/pdf/Apple_SR_2... To my eyes, Apple actually has (or at least claims to have) better auditing of their supply chain. In particular, for Cobalt, one particularly concerning conflict mineral, Apple has over the last couple of years established complete auditing, while Fairphone is not even reporting numbers for that mineral yet. To be sure, they did not do that out of the kindness of their hearts (particularly not in the Steve Jobs era). Pressure from NGOs and maybe also competitors like Fairphone helped. [Disclaimer: I work for Apple, but don't speak for them, nor do I have firsthand knowledge of their supply chain]
      • dmje 6y ago
        Sure, and interestingly you've made my point in one way as I was arguing it elsewhere in this thread, namely that more expensive products from companies like Apple are likely to come under more scrutiny from an ethical POV. I do highly rate Apple for what they are doing - albeit under pressure from others. I chose FF more specifically because of the part maintainability / ability to replace as well as what seemed to me an ethical approach. Back to the main point though: surely companies producing goods this cheap are going to de facto be cutting corners all the way up the chain, including ethical ones