Microsoft Vows to Investigate Reports of Child Labor

[Danpascooch]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

 

[Galad]

Whats wrong with child labor? It's cheap so who cares?

The report states they are working 15 hour shifts, six or seven days a week

I hope you either were not being serious, or simply didn't notice that part.

 

[Orezroivas]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

What does rape and murder have anything to do with this? Taken for the sarcastic remark that it is, it seems that you think that no food or money is better than working for a piss-poor wage and still being able to eat.
In case I wasn't clear, I'm not saying that the conditions these kids have to work in are good or anything just saying that it is better than the alternative in some cases.

 

[epunk35]

Do they really expect to find anything wrong? It kind of defeats the purpose of an audit when you announce you are going to have one. It just gives those pricks time to hide the problem. At least they're making an effort though, which is more than can be said about other companies.

Exactly, they want the positive publicity. Thats why they're flaunting the good deed instead of handling it internally.

 

[Danpascooch]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

What does rape and murder have anything to do with this? Taken for the sarcastic remark that it is, it seems that you think that no food or money is better than working for a piss-poor wage and still being able to eat.
In case I wasn't clear, I'm not saying that the conditions these kids have to work in are good or anything just saying that it is better than the alternative in some cases.

I used rape and murder as an analogy to show how strange your argument is.

Of course there are worse alternatives, there always are, that doesn't mean it's ok, or even marginally justifiable.

Just like Murder is worse than rape, but that doesn't make rape ok

 

[Go on]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

How can you possibly compare his point to murder and raping ??
You clearly haven't had a look around the news lately. PEOPLE ARE STARVING.
A shit job in a factory is always better than starving ore turning to prostitution ore crime.

EDIT: And nobody is stating these conditions are ok.

 

[Orezroivas]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

How can you possibly compare his point to murder and raping ??
You clearly haven't had a look around the news lately. PEOPLE ARE STARVING.
A shit job in a factory is always better than starving ore turning to prostitution ore crime.

EDIT: And nobody is stating these conditions are ok.

actually the guy saying its better then, is basically saying its okay. It doesn't matter if its better then death, it isn't right. They should be punished and not able to get away with it just because its not the worst it could be. Yea the rapist to murder is a parallel to his near slave labor better then prostitution.

I'm not saying that what they are doing is right or that it is okay. It is terrible and the employers should be held accountable for their actions. Therein lies a problem though and one that doesn't seem to have a positive solution.
The problems are that if you do hold the employers accountable and make them pay then several things will happen that just exacerbates the situation. The employer could go out of business from having to pay better wages, the children get fired and end up on the street, the older employees get fired for the cheaper and younger employees causing them to work even longer hours, and several more outcomes that aren't any better.
Before anyone calls me out on it I know that all these are just speculations but really I do not see any real positive outcome for making the employers accountable.

As for the rape v murder thing, don't trivialize them like that both are terrible and horrible crimes and the perpetrator must be punished. The problem in this case isn't killing someone or forcing yourself on someone for some sick twisted thrill. The problem in this case is human greed. It is greed that keeps people from better wages and it is greed that forces children to work in the first place.

 

[Magnalian]

A lot of the workers sort of choose to go there. Sure, they don't think the conditions are ideal either, but the important thing to them is just getting some money for themselves/to their parents. I don't think these issues will stop anytime soon.

 

[Treblaine]

Chairman Mao is spinning in his grave.

(not that Communism is completely alien to the idea of exploiting and over-working people... just not for a foreign electronics entertainment company)

 

[Treblaine]

A lot of the workers sort of choose to go there. Sure, they don't think the conditions are ideal either, but the important thing to them is just getting some money for themselves/to their parents. I don't think these issues will stop anytime soon.

Consent doesn't change the crime. The very fact that they are children means their consent is quite irrelevant as their immaturity leaves them so open to exploitation.

 

[Magnalian]

A lot of the workers sort of choose to go there. Sure, they don't think the conditions are ideal either, but the important thing to them is just getting some money for themselves/to their parents. I don't think these issues will stop anytime soon.

Consent doesn't change the crime. The very fact that they are children means their consent is quite irrelevant as their immaturity leaves them so open to exploitation.

I know their consent doesn't mean it's not a crime, all I'm saying is it's going to take more than giving these companies a slap on the wrist before it stops happening.

 

[Orezroivas]

It's not really child labour though.

14 is a teenager, and it is also significant that the age of sexual consent in China is 14.

Although some people in the West may view their 14 year old teenagers as children, in China it's old enough to have sex and have a job.

If we think that employing 14 year olds in China is using "child" labour, and if we acknowledge that the age of consent is 14, then that must mean we think China is a Paedophile Nation, and why would we want to be doing business with a nation of paedophiles, regardless of their good or bad working conditions?

I agree that the working conditions appear to be pretty bad by our standards, but I think that the sensational, attention grabbing phrase "Child Labour" in the headline is a misnomer.

If you want a really sensational story about videogame companies and real child slavery, then look into the Congolese Coltan mines, which supplied the Coltan for the PS2 (and similar products).

14 may be the age of sexual consent, but is it the age of legal adulthood?

Anyway, pretty bad by our standards is one hell of an understatement. 85 cents and hour AND the deduction of factory food? What does that leave them with? Some factory food and 10 cents?

Well it is still better than no food and no money. Whenever the media or other outlet say anything about Child labor there is a knee-jerk reaction that it is horrible and bad and that children should not be working. The problem is that if some of these children didn't work they wouldn't have money for food or clothes and some of them would have to turn to other means in order to stay alive. Basically, no one really thinks about the alternatives to what that child's life might be like had they not gotten that job.
In a way, I think, it is better for a 14 year old girl to be working at 85 cents an hour as opposed to say working the corner and I think that 14 year old boy would have much better chance working and making 10 cents an hour and going home with some factory food as opposed to living on the street or turning to crime just to get some food together.

Yeah you're right, it's better than no food and no money, you know what, we should stop putting rapists in jail, because getting raped is better than getting murdered.

How can you possibly compare his point to murder and raping ??
You clearly haven't had a look around the news lately. PEOPLE ARE STARVING.
A shit job in a factory is always better than starving ore turning to prostitution ore crime.

EDIT: And nobody is stating these conditions are ok.

actually the guy saying its better then, is basically saying its okay. It doesn't matter if its better then death, it isn't right. They should be punished and not able to get away with it just because its not the worst it could be. Yea the rapist to murder is a parallel to his near slave labor better then prostitution.

I'm not saying that what they are doing is right or that it is okay. It is terrible and the employers should be held accountable for their actions. Therein lies a problem though and one that doesn't seem to have a positive solution.
The problems are that if you do hold the employers accountable and make them pay then several things will happen that just exacerbates the situation. The employer could go out of business from having to pay better wages, the children get fired and end up on the street, the older employees get fired for the cheaper and younger employees causing them to work even longer hours, and several more outcomes that aren't any better.
Before anyone calls me out on it I know that all these are just speculations but really I do not see any real positive outcome for making the employers accountable.

As for the rape v murder thing, don't trivialize them like that both are terrible and horrible crimes and the perpetrator must be punished. The problem in this case isn't killing someone or forcing yourself on someone for some sick twisted thrill. The problem in this case is human greed. It is greed that keeps people from better wages and it is greed that forces children to work in the first place.

People like you are supporters of things like this, by saying dont rock the boat or things will get worse you are stamping your approval, you coudlnt support it any mroe if you were over there cheering them on. Allowing something to happen with out challange is granting it your approval

Sigh My brain is beginning to hurt.
Okay, let me reiterate for the third time now. I do not support what is going on. I do not support what these employers are doing to their employees. It is fine and good to challenge things and it should be done, but this kind of knee-jerk reaction without thinking of the bigger picture can cause so many problems. So there is a challenge for you: solve the problems I laid out. What will you do after these kids have lost their jobs and are starving? How will you help them?
It is all well in good to punish the employers for what they have done, but do you really think that after you punish them that everything will be fine again? That everything will suddenly become justified and that there are no repercussions for someone else?

 

[Ajna]

Would getting rid of these suppliers increase the cost of my new controllers, or that fancy-ass new flash drive (though why I'd buy the MS licensed one, I don't know. This is theoretical)? Because if so, I'm against it. I'm against anything that raises the cost to me, as a consumer.

It would cut profit margins for Microsoft, but they wouldn't risk raising current prices.

Also, way to stand up for human rights, Mr.ShiningBeaconOfMorals

I'm as far fiscally conservative as one can go (Fiscal conservative = decreased regulation of companies, basically straight lasseiz faire stuff, in case you are not "in the know"). I won't apologize for that. If you've read "Jennifer Government", you'll know what the sort of stuff I like is. Privatized police force and such.

It's interesting to be me, because I also am socially liberal, and those two policies tend to clash. Plus, I live in Michigan, the rednecks of northern US, so nobody here likes me.

 

[Danpascooch]

Would getting rid of these suppliers increase the cost of my new controllers, or that fancy-ass new flash drive (though why I'd buy the MS licensed one, I don't know. This is theoretical)? Because if so, I'm against it. I'm against anything that raises the cost to me, as a consumer.

It would cut profit margins for Microsoft, but they wouldn't risk raising current prices.

Also, way to stand up for human rights, Mr.ShiningBeaconOfMorals

I'm as far fiscally conservative as one can go (Fiscal conservative = decreased regulation of companies, basically straight lasseiz faire stuff, in case you are not "in the know"). I won't apologize for that. If you've read "Jennifer Government", you'll know what the sort of stuff I like is. Privatized police force and such.

It's interesting to be me, because I also am socially liberal, and those two policies tend to clash. Plus, I live in Michigan, the rednecks of northern US, so nobody here likes me.

A conservative who doesn't care about human rights and only their own cash reserves.

Call the freaking press.

 

[KiruTheMant]

I'm a Mac.
And i'm a PC.
Hey PC,Did you hear I got another more easily breakable laptop the other day?What did YOU do?
Reduce child Labor for all my workers.
Yur LAME PC hurf durf naryfffff