Do You Know Where Your iPhone Is From?

Spoiler alert: It’s not exactly the best environment

Photograph: Tony Law/Redux/eyevine. (from The Guardian)

My first Apple gadget was an iPod touch. I carried it with me everywhere, you’d easily assume I knew it perfectly well. Yet, if you told my 12-year-old self that the gadget she adored so much was made by an overworked, underpaid Chinese slave who would rather die; she’d probably just walk away and put her earphones back on.

Times change, and almost gone are the days when consumers are completely passive of what brands they consumed. The internet now provides them with extensive resources that can aid them to practice their autonomy. I will endlessly admire the Gen Z for being well-informed individuals. They are the first generation to not only care for the future of the environment and humanity, but also fearlessly take action on their advocacies. There are a lot of hasty generalizations and stereotypes that surround these younglings, but it is undeniable that they are game-changers. The Gen Z champions veganism and a zero-waste lifestyle. They try to resolve universal issues by creating trends. They are responsible for the rise of reusable straws, Hydroflasks, and period cups. Because of their strong influence in the market, they encourage — if not force — brands to switch to more sustainable alternatives to keep up with their pace.

However, the sad truth of reality is that not all matters can be resolved by a hashtag, and that the environment isn’t the only concern that needs our attention.

A few weeks ago, I read an article about Nike’s involvement in China’s “highly disturbing coercive labor practice” designed for Uighurs. They are uprooted from Xinjiang, forced to work in different cities around China, imprisoned in factories, and are strictly sinicized. In response to these strong allegations, Nike ordered Quingdao Taekwang Shoes Co. — their manufacturer in China — to send all Uighur workers back home. I admire how they held themselves liable for the situation and fixed the damage. Even so, I think that they could’ve done better by cutting ties with Quingdao Taekwang. This will show that they do not condone human rights violations in their chain.

Apple is another multinational company involved in this China-led exploitative labor practice. Back in 2006, The Daily Mail wrote a revealing article about the enslaved factory workers of Shenzhen. They worked 35-hour shifts for 31 cents per hour; they slept in small dorm rooms with triple-deckers; they were often scolded, and they were sentenced to prison if they tried to form unions. This notorious ‘military management’ was too extreme that it literally drove people to kill themselves. In 2010, there were 17 worker suicides reported in Foxconn’s production plant. The company then tried to control the situation — not by resolving the exploitation, but — by installing safety nets along their employee dormitories.

Photograph: Antony Dickson/AFP/Getty Images

Former executive editor of Bloomberg Business Week, Hugo Lindgren, said in a 2011 interview that reforms have been made. He said that Foxconn increased wages, started to provide 24-hour counseling, and initiated a “big brother, big sister” program in dorms. It’s been years since the news initially broke out, you’d think that Apple already ironed out these exploitations in their supply chain — but no.

Apple promised to work closely with Foxconn to fix wage violations and reduce overtime back in 2012. However, records from 2015 show that some employees reach 160 overtime hours. The work environment isn’t the only thing that’s toxic in Apple as they also include hazardous chemicals. Amethyst International reported in 2016 that cobalt — which is used in lithium-ion batteries by Apple, Samsung, and Sony — were mined by child laborers in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Apple released a supplier responsibility progress report in 2019 where they said, “We hold ourselves and our suppliers to the highest standards to ensure everyone is treated with dignity and respect.” Human rights violations in China remained a hot topic of discussion by the end of 2019. A paper by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute estimates about 80,000 Uighurs have been forced into labor, benefitting 83 companies — including Apple.

Cheap labor helps a business thrive, but what is money if your hands are blood-stained? I think the labor exploitation led by the Communist Party of China is beyond any multinational company or regular brand consumers like you and me. Even so, I do not think that our limited involvement in this situation chains us from doing anything useful.

Look around your room. Try to assess how many of your belongings or electronics were probably made in sweatshops — this kind of puts things into perspective. I’m not saying that you should throw away your iPhone— but do acknowledge the part that we play in this. We are on the opposite end of the line as thousands of overworked and underpaid factory workers. It’s mortifying. If you’re only bothered that you do not have enough reusable mason jars in your home, then you’re not seeing enough. You should be more terrified of the fact that people literally drop dead just to piece your smartphone together. If there are lives that can be compromised for the economy, then how are ours any different? It’s easy to say that the whole situation is beyond us, and that there is no way we could take down towers with our palms. However, we have the responsibility to speak out against wrongdoings as consumers. It is when we defend ourselves if we feel like a company or brand has wronged us. If they are involved in something that is not in line with what they say are their values, then they are doing a disservice to their patrons. As customers, we have the same power over brands as they do with their manufacturers. Our money fuels their company. Therefore, we can influence them to do better — it’s only a matter of demanding to be heard. If the Gen Z could force companies to switch to more sustainable alternatives, then we can definitely do the same for humane labor practice.

Everything is practically made in China, and multinational companies play a significant role in the county’s global success. They bring in money to Beijing, which grants them the power to influence their decision. If brands really want an ethical business and supply chain, then they should observe strict measures to retain that standard. Manufacturing companies in China allegedly show “fake” dormitories and buildings to foreign journalists. This should be alarming to their clients. As the famous saying goes, “where there is smoke, there is fire.” They can’t always shut their eyes and trust that everything is handled well, just because their company is at a favorable position. Nike was able to send Uighur factory workers back home. Hopefully, more companies would start doing the same, even without the presence of a lengthy exposé or negative PR. It is long overdue for big brands to take full responsibility for the repercussions of their products.

Business and human rights researcher Mark Dummett said, “Millions of people enjoy the benefits of new technologies but rarely ask how they are made.” Let’s agree to stop this today. Everything always starts with something — try by asking.

Ried, James. The dark truth behind your shiny new iPhone. The New Daily, 2017

Supplier Responsibility: 2019 Progress Report. Apple, 2019

Surur. Apple’s iPhone and AirPods may be being manufactured by Chinese slave labour. Microsoft and Technology News, 2020

The Dylan Ratigan Show. MSNBC, 2011

Ye, Juliet. Foxconn Installs Antijumping Nets at Hebei Plants. The Wall Street Journal, 2010