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That's the first time I've ever heard "Conflict-free resources". What exactly does it mean? There are no wars going on in the regions they picked? What happens

That's the first time I've ever heard "Conflict-free resources". What exactly does it mean? There are no wars going on in the regions they picked? What happens if a conflict starts before I get my phone? Can I get a refund?

TsiCClawOfLight 13y ago
It means that the funds used for buying the resources don't fund wars.
- dnautics 13y ago
  this is not an absolute statement. For example, if you buy any resources in the US, you are indirectly funding wars through the US taxation apparatus and military. It's better qualified by saying the funds used for buying the resources are not predominantly extorted or directly controlled by military juntas.
  - TsiCClawOfLight 13y ago
    Good point. Maybe I should say that the resources aren't directly nor officially used to fund wars.
- icelancer 13y ago
  And Chinese sources don't fund "wars" against Tibetan people?
diydsp 13y ago
It's a good question and I'm glad to see it asked. I don't know the precise delineation, but there are some resources (tantalum, used in capacitors, is notorious for this) mined in regions of the world, especially Africa, which are run by regimes which don't respect the United Nation's definition of human rights. IOW, warlords firing machine guns over the heads of slave labor to sell the minerals to fund their weapons purchases. So, it's not specifically about a named conflict, such as a war, but about some kind of traceability back to whether or not the suppliers were approved by some body. IDK which organizations do this. Note that my description does not validate this phone and its traceability in particular. It may be just as backdoored and loopholed as the USDA definition of "organic" for all I know. However, I hope my explanation of "conflict-free resources" is useful as an ideal. And I hope this phone is actually taking marketshare from those manufactured with "conflictful" resources. On a personal note, I've been driving myself crazy trying to choose the best smartphone to buy right now. I don't particularly care about games and I know I want Android. So this phone might just be the choice for me.

TsiCClawOfLight 13y ago

It means that the funds used for buying the resources don't fund wars.

dnautics 13y ago
this is not an absolute statement. For example, if you buy any resources in the US, you are indirectly funding wars through the US taxation apparatus and military. It's better qualified by saying the funds used for buying the resources are not predominantly extorted or directly controlled by military juntas.
- TsiCClawOfLight 13y ago
  Good point. Maybe I should say that the resources aren't directly nor officially used to fund wars.
icelancer 13y ago
And Chinese sources don't fund "wars" against Tibetan people?

diydsp 13y ago

It's a good question and I'm glad to see it asked. I don't know the precise delineation, but there are some resources (tantalum, used in capacitors, is notorious for this) mined in regions of the world, especially Africa, which are run by regimes which don't respect the United Nation's definition of human rights. IOW, warlords firing machine guns over the heads of slave labor to sell the minerals to fund their weapons purchases. So, it's not specifically about a named conflict, such as a war, but about some kind of traceability back to whether or not the suppliers were approved by some body. IDK which organizations do this. Note that my description does not validate this phone and its traceability in particular. It may be just as backdoored and loopholed as the USDA definition of "organic" for all I know. However, I hope my explanation of "conflict-free resources" is useful as an ideal. And I hope this phone is actually taking marketshare from those manufactured with "conflictful" resources. On a personal note, I've been driving myself crazy trying to choose the best smartphone to buy right now. I don't particularly care about games and I know I want Android. So this phone might just be the choice for me.