[BBC] In China, Uighurs 'moved into factory forced labour' for foreign brands Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony

[hateradio]

I do wonder what the hell is going on in journalism.

They know this is happeening yet can't spare some hour to write about it? You can say it doesn't bring clicks but should it matter? Just posting an article reporting on it without being a huge piece is fine enough for now.

If more journalists talked about it, it would create a domino effect for sure.

Journalism ccontinues to be a god damned joke.

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I've been hearing about the Uighur situation for over a decade. Even then, I only heard it on a station that doesn't exist anymore.



However, the situation has continued to get worse since then.

I think the issue is that China/CCP has a lot of investments in western media outlets, so they hamper on the reporting.

Additionally, getting information out of China is difficult, as China closed its borders during the COVID pandemic to western journalists.

Its firewall is hard for people to cross, and its sphere of influence continues to grow.

Right now, CCP is going after HK, Uighurs, and blaming the US for COVID. Along with who knows what other issues are going on in the country.

 

[R0987]

Game journalism has always been a marketing tool I dont know why that comes as such a suprise. They would rather write a dozen articles drooling over the next shiny new box then write a single article about how that shiny new box is build using freaking slave labor.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

New story from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53650246

Merdan Ghappar was used to posing for the camera.

As a model for the massive Chinese online retailer Taobao, the 31-year-old was well paid to flaunt his good looks in slick promotional videos for clothing brands.

But one video of Mr Ghappar is different. Instead of a glitzy studio or fashionable city street, the backdrop is a bare room with grubby walls and steel mesh on the window. And in place of the posing, Mr Ghappar sits silently with an anxious expression on his face.

Holding the camera with his right hand, he reveals his dirty clothes, his swollen ankles, and a set of handcuffs fixing his left wrist to the metal frame of the bed - the only piece of furniture in the room.

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Not quoting any more because I don't want to distract people from looking at the video or reading the report for themselves.

 

[TechnicPuppet]

New story from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53650246



Not quoting any more because I don't want to distract people from looking at the video or reading the report for themselves.

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Read it all, horrifying. Really weird using George Floyd at the end as well.

I said earlier in the thread but I would like companies to be graded on this shit so I can make a decisions. It looks like getting perfection isn't going to be possible but at least tell me who's better.

 

[Puroresu_kid]

Game journalism has always been a marketing tool I dont know why that comes as such a suprise. They would rather write a dozen articles drooling over the next shiny new box then write a single article about how that shiny new box is build using freaking slave labor.

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Who cares about slave labour when early access to games and hardware is up for grabs.

It's disgusting.

 

[givesyoustrength]

New story from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53650246



Not quoting any more because I don't want to distract people from looking at the video or reading the report for themselves.

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Absolutely horrifying.

 

[His Majesty]

The race to the bottom continues, this is beyond awful.

 

[leder]

New story from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53650246



Not quoting any more because I don't want to distract people from looking at the video or reading the report for themselves.

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Horrifying. There needs to be an international movement to end these concentration camps and genocide.

 

[weekev]

New story from the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-53650246



Not quoting any more because I don't want to distract people from looking at the video or reading the report for themselves.

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But despite this story only breaking less than 2 days ago, it is completely gone from the front of the BBC homepage. Barely anyone will see this story which is a massive disservice to the prisoner who will now likely face punishment for trying to shine a spotlight on the internment camps. This is a human rights atrocity and the entire world is turning a blind eye.

 

[Deleted member 4852]

I am glad to see this thread back on the front page.

Holy crap! I hope he's relatively ok after releasing this to the world

 

[Thronazuug]

Maybe it is time to pin this thread again with new reports coming out? Of course StockEra and PREra wouldnt be happy.

 

[Khanimus]

Who cares about slave labour when early access to games and hardware is up for grabs.

It's disgusting.

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Cant spoil those relationships!

 

[Deer]

I'm not buying any new electronics that I don't absolutely need (lamps basically?) for the next years, I hope I can keep it up! (This is coming from a privileged place as I already have a PC, a smartphone and an electrical piano, so don't need much else - but still, going to be better from now on!)

This is terrible and we can make a difference, by shedding light on it, educating ourselves and changing society's consumption patterns.

 

[Ferulci]

This thread should be pinned.

 

[Thanathorn]

This thread should be pinned.

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I agree.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

I agree.

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It was pinned for a long time, nobody cared. All they wanted was next gen console warring. Would be curious to know if the admins can see a figure on how many have interacted with this, and how many have it on ignore. B-Dubs - this is clearly a very important topic for many of us. Any chance we can have this conversation highlighted in a more visible way that encourages conversation?

 

[MegaXZero]

Given how WeChat has been used against the uighurs, maybe this executive order will get some companies to stop associating with Tencent.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

Given how WeChat has been used against the uighurs, maybe this executive order will get some companies to stop associating with Tencent.

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It doesnt at all. It just addresses citizens

 

[MegaXZero]

It doesnt at all. It just addresses citizens

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Yeah the order got clarified. Although perhaps there will be more done.

It still shocks me the wider media doesn't really cover the genocide going on.

 

[Jonnax]

So I live in the UK, and I wrote to my member of parliament last week. (Last time I wrote to them, they took 3 months to reply)
Outlining my concerns around how entertainment products have potentially been made by slave labour and then imported into the UK.
I asked about the potential about raising this with those companies, trying to get them to investigate their supply chain or at least to publicise it.

It's not much, especially since China puts pressure on governments to ignore the situation.
But it's just an afternoon writing a letter and there's always a chance that someone care and even just get a conversation going.
So I totally recommend looking up your representative and writing to them.

For the UK:

Contact your MP

Information on how to contact your local MP

www.parliament.uk

 

[Deleted member 13328]

So is there anything we could do to get gaming journos to cover this, might ask Sony and MS where they stand on this.

I know there are a few journalists on this forum but I don't want to @ them.

Anyone have any idea how to get more eyes on this and maybe get something going.

 

[Nephtes]

With regard to everything going on concerning relations with China and the CCP and their abhorrent treatment of ethnic Uighurs as well as their censorship of media both inside and outside of China, shitty trade practices, human rights violations, etc.

What's the solution?
How does this end?

I've been thinking on it for a while and I have no clear picture of the outcome... but I feel we cannot ignore this and go back to business as usual with the Chinese government.

Edit: and I'm horrified realizing I typed all that on an iPhone possibly manufactured by slave labor. Disgusting. 😠

 

[Deleted member 13328]

With regard to everything going on concerning relations with China and the CCP and their abhorrent treatment of ethnic Uighars as well as their censorship of media both inside and outside of China, shitty trade practices, human rights violations, etc.

What's the solution?
How does this end?

I've been thinking on it for a while and I have no clear picture of the outcome... but I feel we cannot ignore this and go back to business as usual with the Chinese government.

Edit: and I'm horrified realizing I typed all that on an iPhone possibly manufactured by slave labor. Disgusting. 😠

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We are part of the problem, I'm going try like hell to buy stuff that I can confirm are made ethically.

More than that I don't know how we can get Sony and MS to comment on this.

 

[Nephtes]

We are part of the problem, I'm going try like hell to buy stuff that I can confirm are made ethically.

More than that I don't know how we can get Sony and MS to comment on this.

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According to the thread marks, Microsoft already commented on this... but I think this is going to need more than big companies' statements.

It's going to need to be actions taken as well, and not just by some businesses. This needs governmental action from the free world. Not just the US, the UK or the EU.

 

[sirap]

So is there anything we could do to get gaming journos to cover this, might ask Sony and MS where they stand on this.

I know there are a few journalists on this forum but I don't want to @ them.

Anyone have any idea how to get more eyes on this and maybe get something going.

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There's nothing you can do. I spent the first month emailing, tweeting and calling out journalists on this forum. They won't respond, and mods will slap you with a ban if you push it.

 

[Deleted member 13328]

According to the thread marks, Microsoft already commented on this... but I think this is going to need more than big companies' statements.

It's going to need to be actions taken as well, and not just by some businesses. This needs governmental action from the free world. Not just the US, the UK or the EU.

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Didn't they just say that they were going to look in to it? But you're right, I just want some visability on the issue, that MS and Sony are forced to comment on it, more than we'll look in to it.

There's nothing you can do. I spent the first month emailing, tweeting and calling out journalists on this forum. They won't respond, and mods will slap you with a ban if you push it.

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Jesus, that's bad.

 

[rashbeep]

There's nothing you can do. I spent the first month emailing, tweeting and calling out journalists on this forum. They won't respond, and mods will slap you with a ban if you push it.

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really?

fked up

 

[Puroresu_kid]

All these damn gaming sites could quite easily refuse to push PR until these gaming companies address this issue but they won't.

Next generation hype and site traffic means a lot more than some minority in China made to work like slaves.

 

[B-Dubs]

It was pinned for a long time, nobody cared. All they wanted was next gen console warring. Would be curious to know if the admins can see a figure on how many have interacted with this, and how many have it on ignore. B-Dubs - this is clearly a very important topic for many of us. Any chance we can have this conversation highlighted in a more visible way that encourages conversation?

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Honestly, people skim over pinned threads and mega-threads are invisible to most after a while. If you want more eyes on these stories, your best bet is to make new threads when a new article comes out. It's why we keep asking people to make new threads when there's new news, we don't want important stories getting buried.

 

[Thronazuug]

There's nothing you can do. I spent the first month emailing, tweeting and calling out journalists on this forum. They won't respond, and mods will slap you with a ban if you push it.

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Yes, happened to me as well anf posters in that thread was laughing and nitpicking semantics saying that some news coverage take like six months of research.
Like why cant there be a reference to BBC. Start with that.

But it was clearly discussing in bad faith. Everyone is aware """"journalists""""" here only for PR, marketing and book deals.
Annoying is some people are acting like those names are responsible for second coming of journalism.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

But it was clearly discussing in bad faith. Everyone is aware """"journalists""""" here only for PR, marketing and book deals.
Annoying is some people are acting like those names are responsible for second coming of journalism.

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Its the self promoting book deal touting ones that annoy me most. They swagger in like they're fighting on the side of the little guy (devs) but the literal disappeared aren't worth the ink. Blood Sweat and Pixels? More like Blood, Consoles and Uighurs.

Fuck them and the book deals they ride in here on.

 

[Puroresu_kid]

Apple imported clothes from Xinjiang firm facing US forced labour sanctions

Details on staff uniforms come after CEO Tim Cook says he will not tolerate modern slavery

www.theguardian.com

 

[nillansan]

People are clearly frustrated by gaming journalists' absolute refusal to cover the fact that console manufacturers are using slave labour, it's very difficult to be polite about our frustrations, is a perma-ban really warranted, B-Dubs, Mist (just tagging you both since I know you posted in the thread, not saying that you did the banning)?

 

[weekev]

People are clearly frustrated by gaming journalists' absolute refusal to cover the fact that console manufacturers are using slave labour, it's very difficult to be polite about our frustrations, is a perma-ban really warranted, B-Dubs, Mist (just tagging you both since I know you posted in the thread, not saying that you did the banning)?

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I agree. It's probably the most important topic in gaming at the moment and it feels like it is being sweptunder the carpet as an inconvenient truth. Concentration camps (yes like the ones they used in WW2) are being used to produce the stuff you play your games on. The world shouldn't be ignoring it. We should not be allowing it to happen and folks with a platform are ignoring it because they fear censorship in China. It's pretty sad tbh.

 

[Astronut325]

People just don't care. I remember this making headlines in national media and it just disappeared after a week or two.

And no company wants to rock the CCP's boat. Cutting off a potential market with over a billion people is just not a "wise" shareholder friendly move. I need to write to my congress people.

 

[Deleted member 5028]

Im going to keep bumping this thread with news

China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang

Merdan Ghappar sent video and texts about life in Xinjiang's secretive detention system to his family.

www.bbc.co.uk

Now, more than two weeks after the BBC sent a list of questions to Chinese authorities, a response has come in the form of a written statement by the Xinjiang government press office.

"According to article 37 of the Prison Law of the People's Republic of China, the people's government shall help released prisoners to resettle," it says.

"During the transfer, Merdan Ghappar committed acts of self-harm and excessive acts against the police."

It continues: "They took legal measures to stop him, and lifted those measures once his mood had stabilised."

.....


The BBC has been shown evidence that the authorities were saying instead that "he may need to do a few days of education at his local community".

The family believe that "education" is a clear euphemism for the network of highly secure re-education camps where more than one million mostly Muslim Uighurs have been detained in recent years - and which China insists are voluntary schools for anti-extremism training

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[weekev]

Im going to keep bumping this thread with news

China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang

Merdan Ghappar sent video and texts about life in Xinjiang's secretive detention system to his family.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Thank you for continuing to bump, this story needs everyone's attention.

I find it pretty shocking that people arent more outraged by this, especially given the environment we live in atm. Like more people are outraged when someone doesnt wear a mask in a shop but here is literally the largest country on the planet setting up concentration camps for folks who choose to practise a religion in that country that goes against what the state wants, most of these stories may be like 4th or 5th on the news sites for like half a day, then they go away. The fear of angering China is real and it is allowing them to perpetrate human rights atrocities.

Do we know how many brands are still benefiting from Uighur labour?

 

[nillansan]

Im going to keep bumping this thread with news

China defends detention of Uighur model in Xinjiang

Merdan Ghappar sent video and texts about life in Xinjiang's secretive detention system to his family.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Insane that you caught a ban, I think the mods on gaming side need to re-think their stance on tone-policing. Good to have you back.

 

[sirap]

Yeah, like I said in my previous posts...don't call out or target individual journalists on this site.

Especially him. Nothing good will come out of it. It's fine if you want to criticize gaming media as a whole though (and rightly so, considering how much they've failed at reporting this)

 

[Deleted member 5028]

Thank you for continuing to bump, this story needs everyone's attention.

I find it pretty shocking that people arent more outraged by this, especially given the environment we live in atm. Like more people are outraged when someone doesnt wear a mask in a shop but here is literally the largest country on the planet setting up concentration camps for folks who choose to practise a religion in that country that goes against what the state wants, most of these stories may be like 4th or 5th on the news sites for like half a day, then they go away. The fear of angering China is real and it is allowing them to perpetrate human rights atrocities.

Do we know how many brands are still benefiting from Uighur labour?

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I dont know, I'll take a look when I can at any of the ethics reports from some of those listed but I suspect that as long as this remains out of the news on a mass scale they'll continue to do business with these camps.

Insane that you caught a ban, I think the mods on gaming side need to re-think their stance on tone-policing. Good to have you back.

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Frustration over console wars is one thing. Frustrated over the inability of people to cover this and do the right thing is another.

Sorry if I hurt said journalist's feeling but they said they would look at the thread and then silence. Perhaps their outlet refused the story from progressing, but maybe theres a better way to for me to express frustration at self promotion that leads to revenue (which is meant to be banned anyhow).

I am pretty much afraid now in this thread to say anything more than that.

 

[Deleted member 10675]

EU should ban these companies.

 

[Bansai]

"Since the re-education campaign began in 2017, detainees have not been permitted to protest their internment. Instead they're required to maintain a 'good attitude' and admit their guilt under threat of beating and torture."

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Fucking horrifying.

 

[SinkFla]

Just now seeing this thread for the first time and wow. Disgusting. And yeah it does seem to be news that gets unequivocally buried. Heartbreaking.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Do we have a list of companies moving away from using Uighurs forced labour?

As of now I know that from the original list, Adidas, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein and Ikea moved away from it but is there more?

 

[Dyno]

has Jason schrier or any other reputable games journalist covered this yet?

 

[nillansan]

Frustration over console wars is one thing. Frustrated over the inability of people to cover this and do the right thing is another.

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Exactly.

I am pretty much afraid now in this thread to say anything more than that.

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That's perfectly understandable, fucked up that Thronazuug caught a perma for their comment, I've reached out to the mods and they haven't responded.

 

[nillansan]

has Jason schrier or any other reputable games journalist covered this yet?

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Complete and utter radio silence.

 

[Dyno]

Complete and utter radio silence.

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Hmmmm. That is disappointing. This story has been out there a long time now. I'd have thought some of the industry would have made more of a stink over this. I know burning bridges is a concern but some things should take precedent over that IMO.

 

[Cranzor]

That's perfectly understandable, fucked up that Thronazuug caught a perma for their comment, I've reached out to the mods and they haven't responded.

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Apparently you can't voice your thoughts on how a public figure working as a journalist performs their job if they happen to have an account on this site, since it's "antagonising another user" (whose name or username wasn't even included in the post on this page). No one would ever think of banning for the posts in question if they were written about journalists working outside of games or about a politician.

If the CEO of Apple or Epic decides to make an account, am I allowed to criticize them still? Or would I be "antagonising another user" and get banned? Posters should be able to criticize public figures without fear of being banned.

 

[nampad]

Bumping this thread.

Apparently you can't voice your thoughts on how a public figure working as a journalist performs their job if they happen to have an account on this site, since it's "antagonising another user" (whose name or username wasn't even included in the post on this page). No one would ever think of banning for the posts in question if they were written about journalists working outside of games or about a politician.

If the CEO of Apple or Epic decides to make an account, am I allowed to criticize them still? Or would I be "antagonising another user" and get banned? Posters should be able to criticize public figures without fear of being banned.

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Don't get banned!