We should stop buying materials from them, then! There's just as much tin mined in Peru and Russia as Congo. Perhaps maybe if we ban the source rather than the material, they'll change their policies.
I don't think the answer is for those with enough consience to simply no have a computer.Thanks to google for letting us have this information.
Will the new proposed legislation help avoid abuse?I've heard nokia, some pc companies, sony etc are signing up to some new legislation, will this help?
"The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are no longer strong. "- Winston Churchill
I'm glad I saw the link to this video through Nicholas Kristof's columns in the NY Times. I hope these companies will listen to consumers and start doing what's right for humanity.
@Tarrant220 That ain't necessery; blood diamonds are very rare these days, as you probably know, especially thanks to political actions like the Kimberley process. Thus, we can stop the trade with blood oil and conflict minerals as well if we raise this issue.
Guess we better stop using oil, using cell phones and hope you didn't buy that diamond on your finger more then 8 or 10 years ago when blood diamonds were the most readily available diamond in the world for years.
You guys realize that africa's issues are all pretty much due to colonialism and imperialism right? It's probably best that we let them sort out the issues they have rather than add to them.
Conflict free is NOT possible. Minerals are a FUNGIBLE commodity. And helping the Congolese people does not mean destroying the ONE industry they have. THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
Write a letter or e-mail- yeah right, it will get erased.
This cycle of fighting, pain and exploitation repeats ever since the colonization era, the only difference is that they do it themselves.
And also i would like to request a check of all money and materials send to countries like Congo by humanitarian, as more than half of it ends up in the hands of the oppressors. And stopping the conflict minerals use will only cause more problems for the people that are forced to collect them.
Proof? FoxConn's raw materials come from (??) no proof = rhetoric.. tell me where FoxConn gets their raw materials, cause all those minerals can be used for lightbulbs as much as they can for mobiles.
The materials will get sold anyways because there is a demand for them. It doesn't really matter where the "electronic companies" buy them from, because they will simply buy from middle men who got them from the Congo anyways. What goes on in those countries is atrocious, yes, but that isn't about to stop the corporation's need to make a profit.
Interesting to note that many of the Gold bars tested that came from the Federal Reserve were ACTUALLY made of Tungsten, no wonder they are fighting over it too, but nobody really cares.
@m1up Google is a software company, Microsoft is primarily a software company (apart from xbox/zune), they don't make computers and therefore don't use these materials.
If you don't like it don't buy it. I like it so I'm going to buy it. Writing to companies and making petitions isn't going to do much. If you want to write letters then do so. I just wouldn't hope for anything to happen.
This video was probably filmed with a camera that had conflict minerals. Was edited on a computer that had conflict minerals, is being distributed through servers that have conflict minerals. And is being watched on computers with conflict minerals. The American economy is built on benefiting from other peoples misfortunes.The top dogs of the company's that have gone over seas probably have family members out of work and they don't give a shit cause their making a profit. Its embarrassing.
@OnlineCommentary Probably true....That doesn't mean that if there is an alternative to what is going on or a way to improve upon it that it shouldn't be worked toward....At least someone is trying to make a difference....
HEY!!! FINALLY SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT THE SECOND CONGO WAR!!! Where 5 million people were murdered and killed! Glad somebody is getting this stuff out! Cause nobody knows about it.. Can't blame them though, since our media coverage has been focused on the "war of terror" for the past years. Thanks!
@GodlessPeaceTM it's not the companies to blame entirely. some of the blame has to be shouldered by the consumer who's always looking for the "cheapest" deal.
At this time, I can't believe 1251 fools actually voted a thumbs down for this video. I guess there's no shortage or ignorance or stupidity in this world. That or like many others, they just don't give a s*** about something horrible unless it happens to them.
Who's stupid enough to think that these companies had no clue as to how these warloads were going to use their revenue? Companies in developed nations has been using African warloads to forward thier own interests for at least decades. You can do whatever you want as long as you specialize in lying and playing stupid when faced with the results.
Literate, educated and in a lot of cases rich and fat Palestinians VS. millions of people suffering and dying by the millions in Africa and other 3rd world countries. Looks like the UN and and it's brain-washed supporters really have their priorities straight. I guess you just need to have friends with an endless supply of oil to get any help whether you need it, deserve it or not. All of this boils down to the attention given to the expansionist agendas of who's controlling the oil.
Who's stupid enough to think that these companies had no clue as to how these warloads were going to use their revenue? Companies in developed nations has been using African warloads to forward thier own interests for at least decades. You can do whatever you want as long as you specialize in lying and playing stupid when faced with the results.
If this was happening in our backyard, there would be no question about what to do. A few thousand rich and pampered Americans died on Sept. 11, 2001 and there was immediate action by the US government. I predict that in a short time this will be forgotten. Most people on this continent don't care.
don't follow trends, make computers that last years longer rather than making it a fashion statement which goes out of style in less than 3 months ! don't just tell them, just don't buy em :D
@nivsha mac is guilty of this products that cant last more then a year they lack features so they can keep making new models and fanboys fall for it never will I buy another iphone I had two and it made e realize how lazy apple is when it comes to features the first iphone was pretty much on par as the others except for the 3g support
@nivsha what needs to happen is to just RAISE AWARENESS. boycotting electronics is unrealistic. the more people know about this the more pressure those companies will be under. one will make a bigger difference by informing people then boycotting something that is pretty much a necessity in America. lol how much have the walmart boycott achieved?
@MorgonHernandez I know, just stop buying those materials. All of your letter writing will fall on deaf ears. Either you believe in a cause 100% and buy everything that is environmentally friendly, or you are a hypocryte. Let me guess, you drive either a minivan or a SUV.
@firechaser4 don't be so hard on him... at least he's doing something. so many people don't care at all, even if they knew. and he never said that he isn't going 100%. Perhaps instead of just assuming, you could ask, like "glad you are sending the letters, but are you following through by making sure what you buy is consistent with this?" remember, we want people on our side, not pissed off from being judged. and the letters don't fall on deaf ears; the tech companies are led by humans too
I have intentions to try and start a competing technology company sometime in the next 20 years, depending on how life pans out. I'll make sure I remember this very very well. And I'll also be careful to NOT get my materials from Afghanistan, a place likely to become the next congo.
i love how they make a video using an ELECTRONIC CAMERA, to then upload it using a COMPUTER, hoping other people with COMPUTERS will see how they them selves just used the minerals they are trying to stop using thats in every day society, and they helped prove that just by making this video. also why the female oriented logo? are the sexist?
@RockingMinors I believe it's because of "hundreds of thousands of women and girls raped." I'm sure men suffer as well, so I'm not liking their logo that much either. Not all of those materials are only in Congo, so it's possible that those eletronic devices they use do not contain Conflict Metals.
@RockingMinors So, what da hell? The technology itself is not what's evil.. They are hoping for a change, not for extinction of technology.. People really need to start thinking....
Because you filter your comments so heavily you lose all credibility. FREEDOM OF SPEECH is not your thing? Raw materials come from all over the world and are sold on the open markets. If we don't buy it, China, Europe and Russia will buy it. If you want to do something for poor people, do something here, in your community, today!
There's more to it than just "conflict". China forged a $9 billion deal with DR Congo to mine Congolese minerals. Kabila announced: "The Chinese banks are prepared to finance our Five Works (water, electricity, education, health, and transport). For the first time in our history, the Congolese will really feel what all that copper, cobalt and nickel is good for."
If you don't buy stuff from Congo, you'll help prevent the Congolese and Congolese women from having real material progress.
for all the people that agree with her would you pay twice as much for your computer or tv or camera? I am not saying not to help its just that you have to be realistic
and e-mails wont work until the companies loose money
Oh my god!! This is so eye opening!! I'm so glad that people spent the time and effort to buy cameras and computers so that they could send it to us, so that we, over 480,000 computer owners and users could recieve this message. Cameras and computers made from....... oh wait....... Ha! Thats ironic!
@C0uchP0tat0es It's simply using the best available technology to get the message across. Now that I know, I will not be purchasing anymore electronic products that may contain 'Conflict Minerals'. I encourage everyone else to do the same. My numerous Face Book Friends, Twitter Buddies, and E-Mail contacts have already heard from me. The people at Dell, Apple, HP, and Microsoft will be recieving correspondence from me.
I have a idea make the minerals illegal to own and buy like they do with blood diamonds, that should help a little. Cause unless you do then big companies won't really care they will find some way around it. Like someone said they will get them items from somewhere else and to keep their profit margins at or higher than what they are now they will hike up the price on everything electronic
I am all for innovating products, but how about instead of boosting the price of ALREADY expensive items by adding in the cost of difficult research, we let that boost in price go directly toward aiding the people in trouble? wouldn't it make more sense to help the terrified villagers before just getting rid of the monster's favorite food?
there are other ways for them to get money to serve their war, which certainly will not go away just because it got harder to give a kid an AK47
Wow... this has some serious conflicts going on... The desire to save women from being raped sounds very bleeding-heart liberal... but using the free market to affect change? That is VERY conservative/libertarian
So, what happens to the good people who work in the mines when they don't have anyone to buy the minerals they extract? What do you do when their children start starving, & they start selling the women into prostitution to pay the bills?
"5 million killed and hundreds of thousands raped" obviously doesn't even phase those who could care less so long as they're still able to afford their iPads. Yes, we're all hypocrites. Pointing out the "irony" of this video is neither clever or original. It's a deflection so that the privileged don't have to acknowledge or think about any issue that stretches beyond their comfortable little lives. The least a person can do is hold the corporations responsible. Apathy is the easy way out.
Apple promotes buying a really nice computer so you don't have to constantly replace parts every 6 months. By the way where was poor linux? I miss poor linux.
Do they really think e-mailing Macintosh and Microsoft is actually going to get them to change their minds? Not that I dont believe in the cause, but what can we do about it?
only filmed with with a camera containing conflict minerals, produced on a computer containing conflict minerals, up loaded to a website with giant servers containing conflict minerals -- oh irony...
I think its a video against consumerism to be honest, If you have a phone contract and get a phone every year and have multiple mp3 players, laptops tv's and computers.
It's truly sad that the UN can't help this and other nations set up governments which can help to grow their civilizations with the value of these minerals. It's easy to plant guilt into the consumer. If we boycott the minerals then the Congo gets worse. Our government needs to spend more time helping countries like this get their houses in order so their populations can prosper and share our wealth.
I didn't even know about conflict minerals until seeing this video. Pretty messed up stuff. So if they get the minerals elsewhere, they raise the price on electronics even more. WOW I had no clue what was happening to the people of the Congo.
You think the bloodshed in the Congo is because of the electronic industry's need of raw materials? Stop attacking people who are not responsible. The Warlords that have taken over the country will kill these people regardless if it is in a mine, farm, or on the battlefront. The situation there will never be resolved because, quite frankly, they are lower on the list of countries we need to help.
It's time for the world to open their eyes to Africa. A continent which was divided arbitrarily by Europe's colonialism, not considering the local conflicts n then abandoned to it's own luck... so yeah... a great part of it is our mess.
We produce enough food in the world to feed human race several times... yet there are ppl living in misery. Enough thoughtless exploration, if we fixed Africa, in the long run the world would produce even more wealth, but yeah... big companies think of now only.
To be fair, It should also be noted that the United States government gives the Congo's government millions in the form of "aid," which is then used by the same corrupt officials to buy weapons and oppress their people.
Why aren't we suggesting that the United States stop using tax dollars to fund oppressive regimes?
What im saying is: The real issues nobody seems to know about. We know about the differences between a mac and pc. We know all about the Middle East, Israel Palestinians, Iran, Global warming. Its all in the media. But about tragedies that occur every year every day taking millions of lives, nobody knows anything about besides for the geek in the video.
By the way, since 1948 around 17000 palestinins have been killed. Probably 0 from starvation.
BBC's main headline today is Israel and Turkey. I searched "UN" on Bbc the top 10 latest news results were as follows:womens rights, middle-nuclear iran, inquiry into convoy raid, climate change, UN kicked out of Chad, can congo cope without UN?, Cuba and the cold war, Sri Lanka.
Fox headlines today: Lockerbie bomber, Isreal and Turkey, Congo truck explosion and Ramallah woman racing.
CNN today: thailand- sex tourists, stoning iranian woman,bosnia, Us-China, Israel-Tirkey.
Hate to break it to you...but the technology industry has nothing to do with women getting raped. Yes, I think the war is bad. Yes, I think rape is bad. But it has nothing to do with mining.
It has to do with the war lords who control most of Africa. Additionally, most charity relief money and food sent to Africa goes to them--not the skinny children you see in commercials. They're the real problem here.
500,000 dead and thousands of rapes in the past ten years . Let's see hmm, nope doesnt sound familiar. Had to Google to see how many kids die of starvation. 6 million. Popped in to the Un site, clicked on the human rights link to see their "work in the field" and it listed offices in these countries: ''Offices have been established in Angola, Bolivia, Cambodia, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Kosovo (Serbia), Togo, and Uganda." wheres the congo office??
hahaha. so if you thought paying $1100 for a baseline mac book, or $400 for a iphone that drops calls because of the way you hold it. was just too cheap, let someone spread fear and tug at your heart strings for more costly consumer electronics.
"Hello and thank you for contacting Nintendo, On behalf of Nintendo I appreciate the opportunity to respond. Nintendodoes not purchase any metals as raw materials. As a remote purchaser thatbuys finished components made from many materials, Nintendo requires itssuppliers to comply with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Procurement Guidelines, which stipulate suppliers comply with applicablelaws, have respect for human rights, and conduct their business in anappropriate and fair manner."
this commercial is stupid!!! Why doesn't UN solve this or another country by entering their troops there and change anarchy to democracy or why not to comunism... You're thinking way to far on the line and the result might have an unexpected turn; namely congo will export fruits or something else and a total blacade of exports will result in greater damage!
Well....If they were to change where they got the minerals it would be WAY moreexpensive making everything more expensive...making it so we cant buy it making it so the economy becomes worse (this it already is) i say we jsut send an armoy down there and stop this americas nick name is the world police why dot me put that at hand but...this being me most of oyu people will rate htis comment down so it will go down in the deepest darkest place where no one ever reads this...
Okay -- this and plenty of other terrible facts about ANY industry out there (be it electronics, clothing or food) have been brough to light already.
What do I do if I want to make a change? What companies are there - making electronics, clothing, and others - that do not use 3-rd world cheap workforce to make their products? How can I know a company makes a fair profit, doesn't abuse their employees, limits the production waste and doesn't fuel conflicts, corruption? Is there a list somewhere?
News flash. Us not buying from them, wont make things better. If we don't buy from them, other people will. And if nobody buys from them, they have no jobs whatsoever.
Its a governmental problem. They aren't going to suddenly shape up cause we stopped buying their stuff, the people who are suffering now, will only suffer worse. Only thing that will change down there is if they revolt. And freedom is bought in blood, America had to do it, other countries need to do it too.
Okay, so let me get this straight. You people are more concerned about the electronics companies than millions of people dying and little girls getting raped. Do you people have no empathy whatsoever? That literally makes me sick to my stomach. I'm done with reading youtube comments, and I'm done with trusting the human race.
@thejesman wow! Pretty sure the message went right over your head on this one. lol The whole point of the ad it so stop those companies from SUPPORTING the rapings and murders of those innocent girls.
@thejesman Are you serious? By stopping the use of conflict minerals, you stop supporting what's going on in the congo. Can't believe you didn't make that connection, and even more, that people agree with you because they can't put it together in their heads.
@thejesman The video states the very opposite. IF Apple/Microsoft clear their supply of material from these war ridden countries, the people who commit such acts would be disarmed; unsupplied.
i agree with you, but seriously, u must be pretty disturbed if your done trusting the human race just because of some idiots posting dumb comments on youtube,
its called freedom of speech and you gotta get over the fact that it is abused severely
It's so sad that people are so selfish that they care more about themselves and their own way of life, instead of the lives of these poor people in the Congo. One life is worth more than all of the profits of large corporations, AND the products they make. The corporations don't care because they're not affected by the death. They can sit in their cozy offices and look at numbers, completely oblivious to the reality of the situation.
Your just as guilty as the greedy corporations for putting money into their pockets.
I read that there is no technology that is conflict mineral free, so your tv, your phone, your camera, your laptop, your hard drive, your radio, your car, your printer, your scanner, your vhs player, your dvd player, your keyboard, your mouse, your speakers... I guess if people care, we should chuck it all away and go back to the stone age.
@DilutePeople I suppose then you are saying that it's better not to comment at all on the problem unless you use homemade paper and octopus ink? Ah the irony of an ironic disposition: you end up not being able to believe in anything because it can't past a purity test. If English is the language used to write laws that legalize torture should we not use English to criticize these laws?
@DilutePeople Yeah so the video should not have been made? the point is the companies can stop the conflict and still get the minerals. What is your point?
Any company would try their best to reduce their costs and maximize their profits. But to maximize so much at the cost of lives? That's plain greedy, inhumane and unacceptable!
@nadzirski ...companies maximizing their profits is irrelevant. the whole point is that they are using it as a mineral needed for computers and their hardware. something thats... well.. in the computer ur using right now to see this vid, and the cell phone u use to keep in touch with people.
@holymoose69 RAISE Hope for Congo's logo evokes the fact that the conflict minerals in our electronics products fuel violence in the Congo -- the world's deadliest conflict -- where hundreds of women and girls are raped every day, and hacked into pieces with machetes. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rape is used as a war weapon, to control the local populace. And the profits from the global trade in conflict minerals put guns in the hands of warlords.
@holymoose69 One of the main concerns of this group is the rape of women by the armed militias selling the "conflict minerals." Thus the Venus symbol.
good god, some of the comments below are stupid. no one is calling for a boycott. the makers of this vid are simply asking that reasonable people (consumers) ask the conglomerates to be more socially conscious in the making of their products. most of their products are luxury items. i don't mind paying a little extra if it means that people won't be exploited. the increase in price would be minimal, anyway.
we can make a difference in this world. What you buy, what companies / industries you invest in... those are econimic votes. Yea... it might not be the cheapest widget or largest return on your money but so what... do what is right for others.
speak up when buying something, ask the questions, let them know what is important to you.
@vietor33 Yes, this is exactly the point. Right now, consumers don't have a choice to buy conflict-free digital cameras, laptops or cell phones. But since consumer demand for conflict-free products helps create a market for them, please share this video and let tech companies know that if they make conflict-free products, you'll buy them.
@vietor33 Dumbest comment ever!!! She is asking for an opportunity to buy products not made using conflict minerals. Right now that market does not exist. What would you have her do? Go start a new company, make the products and THEN make the video? That would take years and the problem is right now.
@vietor33 Yes, and why does that matter? If anything it makes the case even worse - there are no alternatives, no choice to be made for consumers. At this time it's the tech industry that has to make the choice.
We can make a difference as consumers? Oh yeah, we can champion causes in foreign lands and create ripple effects that drastically raise prices on goods and services here, reduce jobs, and further stifle the economy. The "evil" corporations with ties to conflict minerals aren't going to lower profits because some bleeding hearts "make a difference". You may impact their cost, but you won't impact their margins. They will simply raise the prices to reflect the added expense that you create.
Oh, okay. So lets not do anything. Companies DO CARE about their images getting dirty. If everyone thought like you, world would be even more miserable than it already is.
@hexashadow13 but at what cost? a great way to make a profit would be to hire a factory full of workers, work 'em for a month, then kill them on payday. or did you mean a *legal* profit? well, it still doesn't apply because human rights violations are essentially illegal and the electronics companies know how these resources are acquired and are "providing material support" (oh, wouldn't it be nice if someone used the Patriot Act to actually protect people...)
@hexashadow13 They are not blaming companies for doing what they are supposed to do but they are talking about how they get the materials and the conflicts of getting them.... Kind of like blood diamonds
so you basically want us to destroy and stop buying cell phones, cameras, and laptops!!?? that will never happen it your life, this world is so dependent on those things for daily life...your video has a good position, but your means of getting there is ridiculous
@651mikey the original definition of 'sin' is "to miss the target" or the point, and sir, you are a sinner. they aren't advocating destroying these things -that would just make all the loss of life mean nothing (and from a socioeconomic standpoint we'd look *great*: a nation of overprivileged people taking the overpriced products that slaves die to make and chucking them...)
this organization wants them to use materials that aren't soaked in blood and that don't support warlords
I don't understand how this solution would work. If companies stopped buying from the Congo wouldn't that just hurt their economy and put people there out of jobs?
@bigp132 if we stopped buying german and italian products during world war 2, wouldn't that just be putting poor nazis and brownshirts out of jobs? Yes, AND?...
it's not like these people are getting paid a living wage. far from it -many are getting paid with, uh, not being murdered (or having their families suffer the same fate), and enough nutritional sustenance to get up and work the next day. yeah these are slaves. a small percentage goes to upholding what we think of as legitimate life,
@bigp132 but the lions share goes to fascist warlords and corrupt government officials. so i personally have no problem with bankrupting the warlords so they can't pay their mercenaries who will inevitably dissipate when the money goes away
@bigp132 The problem is not to stop buying from congo, but stop buying from lord(s) of war that kills anyone can hurt their interesses and rape womans and childrens!
Did you see a little of difference?
You have to study on africa political situation before to post any comment on it.
I wonder if other countries can meet up to the supply of Congo :s. Maybe there is no alternative?
Second, stoping the flow of money to congo will result in more poverty and civil strife. I think the only real solution is education. With a heavy investment in education, oppurtunities will open and the rebel groups will be less necessary. Next to education, more investment in the economy can help. Instead of looking for other suppliers than Congo, internationals shoulc open factories there. tbc
ironic the same devices used to fuel this war are used to post this video and spread the word for your cause. So somehow you are just as guilty. WEIRD!!!!
@fuckengerginof Yeah its like when people protest Oil drilling.They are out in a old clunky boat that burns diesel and drips it where ever it moves, It makes what the cars we use pail in comparison. To quote Bruce Willis in Armageddon: Do you know how much diesel that clunker boat pumps out in a hour?!
@Scaash ok, for one, do you even know what you are talking about??? Diesel is actually 20-40% more efficient than gasoline engines. They also put 90% less carbon into the air. If you are going to say something next time, make sure you have your facts straight.
Stop buying, lets crash half of the worlds economy, thats populated by technology. We don't need to buy the best tech, alright we don't. But when we stop, people stop investing in it, and then technology stops improving. This is a joke, this videos entire point is redundant. As there is nothing you can do to stop using these videos. Products will always be bought. Please give up and have a good day.
Okay... Lets put it this way, I'm the owner of a hardware company. I use these materials as stated in the video. These materials are cheap, easy to get and work well in my products. But now I am supposed to pay five times more just because these are so called "Conflict Minerals". I think you need to do a little more about the way business works and exactly how much it would cost to design new products around these "other" materials and start to manufacture new products with these materials.
Im honestly so surprised that people think conflict metals are justifiable. An American life is just as important as any other human. Have some compassion. All this is trying to do is stop a violent massacre that we as consumers are unfortunately contributing too..... Im def going to stop splurging on new cellphones and computers. Im sad with the way our society makes this seem acceptable. absolutely disgusting. What is wrong with our minds?? We need to stop this holocaust thats now happening!
Hi! I'm a Mac and I'm manufactured in China by underpaid and overworked individuals for very few dollars a day and sell them to the public for quadruple the price!
The conflict is due to poor government in Congo, because if they were to have a export trade system controlled and done properly there would be no conflict, and we would continue to buy cheap minerals from that country and buy our electronics cheap here.
Wha? I think the reason Microsoft and Apple aren't "telling you" this is because they didn't think it would affect the war in the Congo. I think it's wrong to "exploit" these companies in order to show some kind of activism -_-"
Money = Conflict
Period.
francislalan 1 year ago 25
We should stop buying materials from them, then! There's just as much tin mined in Peru and Russia as Congo. Perhaps maybe if we ban the source rather than the material, they'll change their policies.
ABookwormAndProud 1 year ago 4
im sure this video was edited on a macbook pro
machiavelli84 1 year ago
Why do so many people have a problem with this video?
Orf 1 year ago 10
Excellent stuff, and may you folks make many more of these.
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But the repetitive nature of the music qualifies as torture under most human rights conventions.
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oranckay 1 year ago
I don't think the answer is for those with enough consience to simply no have a computer.Thanks to google for letting us have this information.
Will the new proposed legislation help avoid abuse?I've heard nokia, some pc companies, sony etc are signing up to some new legislation, will this help?
altrn8tiv 1 year ago
"The whole history of the world is summed up in the fact that, when nations are strong, they are not always just, and when they wish to be just, they are no longer strong. "- Winston Churchill
hshiek 1 year ago 15
I'm glad I saw the link to this video through Nicholas Kristof's columns in the NY Times. I hope these companies will listen to consumers and start doing what's right for humanity.
Thank you,
Joelle Burnette
joelleburnette 1 year ago 3
@Tarrant220 That ain't necessery; blood diamonds are very rare these days, as you probably know, especially thanks to political actions like the Kimberley process. Thus, we can stop the trade with blood oil and conflict minerals as well if we raise this issue.
helapingsten 1 year ago 3
Guess we better stop using oil, using cell phones and hope you didn't buy that diamond on your finger more then 8 or 10 years ago when blood diamonds were the most readily available diamond in the world for years.
Tarrant220 1 year ago
i heard about this in yahoo!'s homepage.
amazondotcombuyer 1 year ago
You guys realize that africa's issues are all pretty much due to colonialism and imperialism right? It's probably best that we let them sort out the issues they have rather than add to them.
Pancreas123 1 year ago 5
I heard of something called recycle! Even though it hase a little less, at least it's less to buy from the war.
EMAXV2 1 year ago 2
Conflict free is NOT possible. Minerals are a FUNGIBLE commodity. And helping the Congolese people does not mean destroying the ONE industry they have. THIS IS NOT THE SOLUTION.
a7i20ci7y 1 year ago 2
Write a letter or e-mail- yeah right, it will get erased.
This cycle of fighting, pain and exploitation repeats ever since the colonization era, the only difference is that they do it themselves.
And also i would like to request a check of all money and materials send to countries like Congo by humanitarian, as more than half of it ends up in the hands of the oppressors. And stopping the conflict minerals use will only cause more problems for the people that are forced to collect them.
XLMK 1 year ago
Proof? FoxConn's raw materials come from (??) no proof = rhetoric.. tell me where FoxConn gets their raw materials, cause all those minerals can be used for lightbulbs as much as they can for mobiles.
smokydave 1 year ago
The materials will get sold anyways because there is a demand for them. It doesn't really matter where the "electronic companies" buy them from, because they will simply buy from middle men who got them from the Congo anyways. What goes on in those countries is atrocious, yes, but that isn't about to stop the corporation's need to make a profit.
PhantomWorks22 1 year ago
Interesting how this has become an attack on Mac but all the computer and electronics industry as a whole are equally apart of the problem.
mercerch 1 year ago
Interesting to note that many of the Gold bars tested that came from the Federal Reserve were ACTUALLY made of Tungsten, no wonder they are fighting over it too, but nobody really cares.
1981z28camaro 1 year ago
Man, this brings it to my eyes. Now I will think twice about using google or microsoft, or any of those SOB's.
m1up 1 year ago
@m1up That makes two of us.
bubblinbrownsugar616 1 year ago
@m1up Google is a software company, Microsoft is primarily a software company (apart from xbox/zune), they don't make computers and therefore don't use these materials.
danielsan854 1 year ago
If you don't like it don't buy it. I like it so I'm going to buy it. Writing to companies and making petitions isn't going to do much. If you want to write letters then do so. I just wouldn't hope for anything to happen.
SailorBJupiter 1 year ago
This video was probably filmed with a camera that had conflict minerals. Was edited on a computer that had conflict minerals, is being distributed through servers that have conflict minerals. And is being watched on computers with conflict minerals. The American economy is built on benefiting from other peoples misfortunes.The top dogs of the company's that have gone over seas probably have family members out of work and they don't give a shit cause their making a profit. Its embarrassing.
OnlineCommentary 1 year ago 148
@OnlineCommentary You should follow Bill Gates's Twitter it would make you eat your words.
THExSE7ENxSINS 1 year ago
@OnlineCommentary Probably true....That doesn't mean that if there is an alternative to what is going on or a way to improve upon it that it shouldn't be worked toward....At least someone is trying to make a difference....
LightByGrace 1 year ago 6
I thought this only happened in Asian countries and African countries only for gold. But hmm..
tempohyeah 1 year ago
HEY!!! FINALLY SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT THE SECOND CONGO WAR!!! Where 5 million people were murdered and killed! Glad somebody is getting this stuff out! Cause nobody knows about it.. Can't blame them though, since our media coverage has been focused on the "war of terror" for the past years. Thanks!
TheBluesBrothersRlsd 1 year ago 3
Canada can supply the world with these minerals but companies always want to cheap out hence the problems!
GodlessPeaceTM 1 year ago
@GodlessPeaceTM it's not the companies to blame entirely. some of the blame has to be shouldered by the consumer who's always looking for the "cheapest" deal.
originaljawz 1 year ago
How can a thousand people have voted this clip down?
maustyle 1 year ago
At this time, I can't believe 1251 fools actually voted a thumbs down for this video. I guess there's no shortage or ignorance or stupidity in this world. That or like many others, they just don't give a s*** about something horrible unless it happens to them.
jdumars 1 year ago 2
Who's stupid enough to think that these companies had no clue as to how these warloads were going to use their revenue? Companies in developed nations has been using African warloads to forward thier own interests for at least decades. You can do whatever you want as long as you specialize in lying and playing stupid when faced with the results.
Afrocanuk 1 year ago
Literate, educated and in a lot of cases rich and fat Palestinians VS. millions of people suffering and dying by the millions in Africa and other 3rd world countries. Looks like the UN and and it's brain-washed supporters really have their priorities straight. I guess you just need to have friends with an endless supply of oil to get any help whether you need it, deserve it or not. All of this boils down to the attention given to the expansionist agendas of who's controlling the oil.
chineseboxer108 1 year ago
Who's stupid enough to think that these companies had no clue as to how these warloads were going to use their revenue? Companies in developed nations has been using African warloads to forward thier own interests for at least decades. You can do whatever you want as long as you specialize in lying and playing stupid when faced with the results.
Afrocanuk 1 year ago
1248 people don't know what this is for and are to ignorant to research it to find out what its all about
kevum 1 year ago
If this was happening in our backyard, there would be no question about what to do. A few thousand rich and pampered Americans died on Sept. 11, 2001 and there was immediate action by the US government. I predict that in a short time this will be forgotten. Most people on this continent don't care.
NDN96 1 year ago
dont forget about income tax.... fuels more murders than anything else
skwid12 1 year ago
Whoa...
Thayet1000 1 year ago
The war is also killing the wildlife...mostly the gorillas.
ahonestwoman 1 year ago 7
don't follow trends, make computers that last years longer rather than making it a fashion statement which goes out of style in less than 3 months ! don't just tell them, just don't buy em :D
nivsha 1 year ago 76
@nivsha mac is guilty of this products that cant last more then a year they lack features so they can keep making new models and fanboys fall for it never will I buy another iphone I had two and it made e realize how lazy apple is when it comes to features the first iphone was pretty much on par as the others except for the 3g support
psp785 1 year ago
@psp785 name something other than the flawed iphone for "being guilty"
crazyjared2 1 year ago
@nivsha: You're awfully naive. Technology gets replaced so quickly because of new advances, not because they're fashion statements.
ninjagod1337 1 year ago
@nivsha what needs to happen is to just RAISE AWARENESS. boycotting electronics is unrealistic. the more people know about this the more pressure those companies will be under. one will make a bigger difference by informing people then boycotting something that is pretty much a necessity in America. lol how much have the walmart boycott achieved?
dimonai01 1 year ago
@MorgonHernandez I know, just stop buying those materials. All of your letter writing will fall on deaf ears. Either you believe in a cause 100% and buy everything that is environmentally friendly, or you are a hypocryte. Let me guess, you drive either a minivan or a SUV.
firechaser4 1 year ago
@firechaser4 don't be so hard on him... at least he's doing something. so many people don't care at all, even if they knew. and he never said that he isn't going 100%. Perhaps instead of just assuming, you could ask, like "glad you are sending the letters, but are you following through by making sure what you buy is consistent with this?" remember, we want people on our side, not pissed off from being judged. and the letters don't fall on deaf ears; the tech companies are led by humans too
ubuntuFish 1 year ago
I have intentions to try and start a competing technology company sometime in the next 20 years, depending on how life pans out. I'll make sure I remember this very very well. And I'll also be careful to NOT get my materials from Afghanistan, a place likely to become the next congo.
AntiChristAntiFail 1 year ago
i love how they make a video using an ELECTRONIC CAMERA, to then upload it using a COMPUTER, hoping other people with COMPUTERS will see how they them selves just used the minerals they are trying to stop using thats in every day society, and they helped prove that just by making this video. also why the female oriented logo? are the sexist?
RockingMinors 1 year ago
@RockingMinors I believe it's because of "hundreds of thousands of women and girls raped." I'm sure men suffer as well, so I'm not liking their logo that much either. Not all of those materials are only in Congo, so it's possible that those eletronic devices they use do not contain Conflict Metals.
AkaTsukuyomi 1 year ago
@RockingMinors So, what da hell? The technology itself is not what's evil.. They are hoping for a change, not for extinction of technology.. People really need to start thinking....
Eron55555 1 year ago
Because you filter your comments so heavily you lose all credibility. FREEDOM OF SPEECH is not your thing? Raw materials come from all over the world and are sold on the open markets. If we don't buy it, China, Europe and Russia will buy it. If you want to do something for poor people, do something here, in your community, today!
gmcjetpilot 1 year ago
why us there a female oriented logo in hope?
LucasimoTheGreat 1 year ago
There's more to it than just "conflict". China forged a $9 billion deal with DR Congo to mine Congolese minerals. Kabila announced: "The Chinese banks are prepared to finance our Five Works (water, electricity, education, health, and transport). For the first time in our history, the Congolese will really feel what all that copper, cobalt and nickel is good for."
If you don't buy stuff from Congo, you'll help prevent the Congolese and Congolese women from having real material progress.
mutatron 1 year ago
for all the people that agree with her would you pay twice as much for your computer or tv or camera? I am not saying not to help its just that you have to be realistic
and e-mails wont work until the companies loose money
radeonjr1 1 year ago
Oh my god!! This is so eye opening!! I'm so glad that people spent the time and effort to buy cameras and computers so that they could send it to us, so that we, over 480,000 computer owners and users could recieve this message. Cameras and computers made from....... oh wait....... Ha! Thats ironic!
C0uchP0tat0es 1 year ago
@C0uchP0tat0es It's simply using the best available technology to get the message across. Now that I know, I will not be purchasing anymore electronic products that may contain 'Conflict Minerals'. I encourage everyone else to do the same. My numerous Face Book Friends, Twitter Buddies, and E-Mail contacts have already heard from me. The people at Dell, Apple, HP, and Microsoft will be recieving correspondence from me.
NDN96 1 year ago
I have a idea make the minerals illegal to own and buy like they do with blood diamonds, that should help a little. Cause unless you do then big companies won't really care they will find some way around it. Like someone said they will get them items from somewhere else and to keep their profit margins at or higher than what they are now they will hike up the price on everything electronic
Scaash 1 year ago
I am all for innovating products, but how about instead of boosting the price of ALREADY expensive items by adding in the cost of difficult research, we let that boost in price go directly toward aiding the people in trouble? wouldn't it make more sense to help the terrified villagers before just getting rid of the monster's favorite food?
there are other ways for them to get money to serve their war, which certainly will not go away just because it got harder to give a kid an AK47
phephq 1 year ago
Wow... this has some serious conflicts going on... The desire to save women from being raped sounds very bleeding-heart liberal... but using the free market to affect change? That is VERY conservative/libertarian
So, what happens to the good people who work in the mines when they don't have anyone to buy the minerals they extract? What do you do when their children start starving, & they start selling the women into prostitution to pay the bills?
ppardee 1 year ago
Wow! I didnt know even electronics have dirty history.
Sadoda777 1 year ago
"5 million killed and hundreds of thousands raped" obviously doesn't even phase those who could care less so long as they're still able to afford their iPads. Yes, we're all hypocrites. Pointing out the "irony" of this video is neither clever or original. It's a deflection so that the privileged don't have to acknowledge or think about any issue that stretches beyond their comfortable little lives. The least a person can do is hold the corporations responsible. Apathy is the easy way out.
anxiousandworrying 1 year ago
Apple promotes buying a really nice computer so you don't have to constantly replace parts every 6 months. By the way where was poor linux? I miss poor linux.
humenbean 1 year ago
Regardless of our personal attitudes, this shold give us pause.
downhill240 1 year ago 2
I don't see Linux carrying conflict minerals
joetherogue 1 year ago
Do they really think e-mailing Macintosh and Microsoft is actually going to get them to change their minds? Not that I dont believe in the cause, but what can we do about it?
TheLetterY13 1 year ago
A threat to boycott materials in the Congo, that'll ease tension. Let's just take away their money, that'll stop the fighting!
jab4962 1 year ago
only filmed with with a camera containing conflict minerals, produced on a computer containing conflict minerals, up loaded to a website with giant servers containing conflict minerals -- oh irony...
TexasToast09 1 year ago
I think its a video against consumerism to be honest, If you have a phone contract and get a phone every year and have multiple mp3 players, laptops tv's and computers.
smilingandalf 1 year ago
It's truly sad that the UN can't help this and other nations set up governments which can help to grow their civilizations with the value of these minerals. It's easy to plant guilt into the consumer. If we boycott the minerals then the Congo gets worse. Our government needs to spend more time helping countries like this get their houses in order so their populations can prosper and share our wealth.
pathentges 1 year ago
I didn't even know about conflict minerals until seeing this video. Pretty messed up stuff. So if they get the minerals elsewhere, they raise the price on electronics even more. WOW I had no clue what was happening to the people of the Congo.
amiga2091 1 year ago
We need fair trade electronics!
nefariousyawn 1 year ago
So me playing a game that has a gun in it has somehow connection to the conflict in Congo?
Dragonball4eva 1 year ago
You think the bloodshed in the Congo is because of the electronic industry's need of raw materials? Stop attacking people who are not responsible. The Warlords that have taken over the country will kill these people regardless if it is in a mine, farm, or on the battlefront. The situation there will never be resolved because, quite frankly, they are lower on the list of countries we need to help.
Razz14554 1 year ago
um..yeah, ARGENTINA has the same problem as congo as well.
it's not just CONGO you know..
makugx 1 year ago
wow, how informative. thanks
harmany08 1 year ago
this isnt even funny this is sad
IGIRIAINIDI 1 year ago
It's time for the world to open their eyes to Africa. A continent which was divided arbitrarily by Europe's colonialism, not considering the local conflicts n then abandoned to it's own luck... so yeah... a great part of it is our mess.
We produce enough food in the world to feed human race several times... yet there are ppl living in misery. Enough thoughtless exploration, if we fixed Africa, in the long run the world would produce even more wealth, but yeah... big companies think of now only.
Vindorei 1 year ago
To be fair, It should also be noted that the United States government gives the Congo's government millions in the form of "aid," which is then used by the same corrupt officials to buy weapons and oppress their people.
Why aren't we suggesting that the United States stop using tax dollars to fund oppressive regimes?
It'd be much easier than boycotting computers.
caltrop69 1 year ago
can someone explain to me how the electronics companies have a part in this? what am i missing because i dont get what theyre talking about
shutupyouflip 1 year ago
What im saying is: The real issues nobody seems to know about. We know about the differences between a mac and pc. We know all about the Middle East, Israel Palestinians, Iran, Global warming. Its all in the media. But about tragedies that occur every year every day taking millions of lives, nobody knows anything about besides for the geek in the video.
By the way, since 1948 around 17000 palestinins have been killed. Probably 0 from starvation.
17,000 ? 500,000 !!
simboy 1 year ago
BBC's main headline today is Israel and Turkey. I searched "UN" on Bbc the top 10 latest news results were as follows:womens rights, middle-nuclear iran, inquiry into convoy raid, climate change, UN kicked out of Chad, can congo cope without UN?, Cuba and the cold war, Sri Lanka.
Fox headlines today: Lockerbie bomber, Isreal and Turkey, Congo truck explosion and Ramallah woman racing.
CNN today: thailand- sex tourists, stoning iranian woman,bosnia, Us-China, Israel-Tirkey.
simboy 1 year ago
Erm...Whats with the gender symbol?
VulgarityDivine 1 year ago
wow
Bien1986 1 year ago
Hate to break it to you...but the technology industry has nothing to do with women getting raped. Yes, I think the war is bad. Yes, I think rape is bad. But it has nothing to do with mining.
It has to do with the war lords who control most of Africa. Additionally, most charity relief money and food sent to Africa goes to them--not the skinny children you see in commercials. They're the real problem here.
HotLikeEinstein 1 year ago
500,000 dead and thousands of rapes in the past ten years . Let's see hmm, nope doesnt sound familiar. Had to Google to see how many kids die of starvation. 6 million. Popped in to the Un site, clicked on the human rights link to see their "work in the field" and it listed offices in these countries: ''Offices have been established in Angola, Bolivia, Cambodia, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, Nepal, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Kosovo (Serbia), Togo, and Uganda." wheres the congo office??
simboy 1 year ago
these conflicts will happen with or without us buying raw minerals from these areas
SpartanXConquer 1 year ago
hahaha. so if you thought paying $1100 for a baseline mac book, or $400 for a iphone that drops calls because of the way you hold it. was just too cheap, let someone spread fear and tug at your heart strings for more costly consumer electronics.
scalp340 1 year ago
"Hello and thank you for contacting Nintendo, On behalf of Nintendo I appreciate the opportunity to respond. Nintendodoes not purchase any metals as raw materials. As a remote purchaser thatbuys finished components made from many materials, Nintendo requires itssuppliers to comply with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)Procurement Guidelines, which stipulate suppliers comply with applicablelaws, have respect for human rights, and conduct their business in anappropriate and fair manner."
shlarl 1 year ago
There is so much power and energy here let's do what we can people let's do what we can We have the power to change anything ! Peace
beloveme 1 year ago
PC has the same dirty little secret and a lot more !
goodwithguitar 1 year ago
this commercial is stupid!!! Why doesn't UN solve this or another country by entering their troops there and change anarchy to democracy or why not to comunism... You're thinking way to far on the line and the result might have an unexpected turn; namely congo will export fruits or something else and a total blacade of exports will result in greater damage!
blushadow08 1 year ago
Is this legal? I mean, i get the message and all but they're so blatantly ripping off apple.
darkisatari 1 year ago
I wanna know why 1142 people voted dislike on this video.
ixat00 1 year ago
if the technology industry wasnt so cut throat worldwide, everyone's computers, iphones, hd tvs, etc would be too expensive for to have.
as the saying goes, gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette. if u dont like the broken eggs, dont eat the omelette
scully2222 1 year ago
Well....If they were to change where they got the minerals it would be WAY moreexpensive making everything more expensive...making it so we cant buy it making it so the economy becomes worse (this it already is) i say we jsut send an armoy down there and stop this americas nick name is the world police why dot me put that at hand but...this being me most of oyu people will rate htis comment down so it will go down in the deepest darkest place where no one ever reads this...
cartoonkarl1 1 year ago
Okay -- this and plenty of other terrible facts about ANY industry out there (be it electronics, clothing or food) have been brough to light already.
What do I do if I want to make a change? What companies are there - making electronics, clothing, and others - that do not use 3-rd world cheap workforce to make their products? How can I know a company makes a fair profit, doesn't abuse their employees, limits the production waste and doesn't fuel conflicts, corruption? Is there a list somewhere?
Dustie1984 1 year ago
All the stupid people that voted down :(
MrXalexer 1 year ago
how could be possible that 1126 people disagree???
AbigailDeath 1 year ago
News flash. Us not buying from them, wont make things better. If we don't buy from them, other people will. And if nobody buys from them, they have no jobs whatsoever.
Its a governmental problem. They aren't going to suddenly shape up cause we stopped buying their stuff, the people who are suffering now, will only suffer worse. Only thing that will change down there is if they revolt. And freedom is bought in blood, America had to do it, other countries need to do it too.
girzwald3 1 year ago
Okay, so let me get this straight. You people are more concerned about the electronics companies than millions of people dying and little girls getting raped. Do you people have no empathy whatsoever? That literally makes me sick to my stomach. I'm done with reading youtube comments, and I'm done with trusting the human race.
thejesman 1 year ago 43
@thejesman AMEN, BROTHER!!!! I agree with EVERYTHING you just said!
P.S. I'm also done with Corporate America...
bl709 1 year ago
@thejesman dude your kind of overreacting i mean seriously your using a computer to type that comment
OMGItsKiller1 1 year ago
@thejesman wow! Pretty sure the message went right over your head on this one. lol The whole point of the ad it so stop those companies from SUPPORTING the rapings and murders of those innocent girls.
Koreyrad 1 year ago
@thejesman Are you serious? By stopping the use of conflict minerals, you stop supporting what's going on in the congo. Can't believe you didn't make that connection, and even more, that people agree with you because they can't put it together in their heads.
WildEchidna92 1 year ago
@thejesman The video states the very opposite. IF Apple/Microsoft clear their supply of material from these war ridden countries, the people who commit such acts would be disarmed; unsupplied.
shumugga 1 year ago
@thejesman
i agree with you, but seriously, u must be pretty disturbed if your done trusting the human race just because of some idiots posting dumb comments on youtube,
its called freedom of speech and you gotta get over the fact that it is abused severely
put simply, don't let the trolls get to you ;)
warhawksxaid 1 year ago
@thejesman - see ya, don't let the iDoor hit you in the butt on the way out.
atari67 1 year ago
It's so sad that people are so selfish that they care more about themselves and their own way of life, instead of the lives of these poor people in the Congo. One life is worth more than all of the profits of large corporations, AND the products they make. The corporations don't care because they're not affected by the death. They can sit in their cozy offices and look at numbers, completely oblivious to the reality of the situation.
Glyre777 1 year ago 11
@Glyre777 So what have you done to help rather than pass the blame. Where else can we get these minerals?
RICKROLLYA 1 year ago
@Glyre777 How come corporations are not digging for minerals?
dukee155 1 year ago
@Glyre777
Your just as guilty as the greedy corporations for putting money into their pockets.
I read that there is no technology that is conflict mineral free, so your tv, your phone, your camera, your laptop, your hard drive, your radio, your car, your printer, your scanner, your vhs player, your dvd player, your keyboard, your mouse, your speakers... I guess if people care, we should chuck it all away and go back to the stone age.
Corporations aren't the problem, consumers are.
obscenesAINT 1 year ago
watching a video probably made with conflict materials on a machine probably made with conflict materials.. ohhhh the irony makes all giddy :3
DilutePeople 1 year ago 22
@DilutePeople I suppose then you are saying that it's better not to comment at all on the problem unless you use homemade paper and octopus ink? Ah the irony of an ironic disposition: you end up not being able to believe in anything because it can't past a purity test. If English is the language used to write laws that legalize torture should we not use English to criticize these laws?
worldbridgermedia 1 year ago
@DilutePeople lol thats what i was thinking too
whocares5676 1 year ago
@DilutePeople Yeah so the video should not have been made? the point is the companies can stop the conflict and still get the minerals. What is your point?
allianceFiLifeDotCom 1 year ago
who else was reminded of blood diamond from watching this video?
bigchum94 1 year ago 12
Any company would try their best to reduce their costs and maximize their profits. But to maximize so much at the cost of lives? That's plain greedy, inhumane and unacceptable!
nadzirski 1 year ago 3
@nadzirski ...companies maximizing their profits is irrelevant. the whole point is that they are using it as a mineral needed for computers and their hardware. something thats... well.. in the computer ur using right now to see this vid, and the cell phone u use to keep in touch with people.
RockingMinors 1 year ago
so is anybody going to help her cuase?
pooperscooper1992 1 year ago 2
@pooperscooper1992 definitly will
shlarl 1 year ago
@pooperscooper1992 Nah.
SpaceMagician 1 year ago
Whats with the female oriented logo?
holymoose69 1 year ago 42
@holymoose69 RAISE Hope for Congo's logo evokes the fact that the conflict minerals in our electronics products fuel violence in the Congo -- the world's deadliest conflict -- where hundreds of women and girls are raped every day, and hacked into pieces with machetes. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, rape is used as a war weapon, to control the local populace. And the profits from the global trade in conflict minerals put guns in the hands of warlords.
jonathanhutson 1 year ago
@holymoose69 The part about women being murdered and raped
enfantcoma 1 year ago
I'd like to know the same thing... i work with branding...logo design... and i didnt get it.
The cause is so valid though... made me regret I ordered and iPod last week... o.O
Vindorei 1 year ago
@holymoose69 One of the main concerns of this group is the rape of women by the armed militias selling the "conflict minerals." Thus the Venus symbol.
benjaminbrette 1 year ago
@holymoose69 "Hundreds of thousands of women and girls raped."
JackBacket 1 year ago
good god, some of the comments below are stupid. no one is calling for a boycott. the makers of this vid are simply asking that reasonable people (consumers) ask the conglomerates to be more socially conscious in the making of their products. most of their products are luxury items. i don't mind paying a little extra if it means that people won't be exploited. the increase in price would be minimal, anyway.
bebenic 1 year ago 6
Cutting off economic income for the Congo. That'll make people stop fighting over money. *rolls eyes*
leodamascus 1 year ago 5
we can make a difference in this world. What you buy, what companies / industries you invest in... those are econimic votes. Yea... it might not be the cheapest widget or largest return on your money but so what... do what is right for others.
speak up when buying something, ask the questions, let them know what is important to you.
strcrst86 1 year ago 2
isnt the camera shes using using conflict minerals and the computer use to make this vid too XXDXD
vietor33 1 year ago 185
@vietor33
you're absolutely right. kind of a vicious cycle. but it's not like anybody's going to stop buying electronics.
thirtybones 1 year ago 6
@vietor33 Yes, this is exactly the point. Right now, consumers don't have a choice to buy conflict-free digital cameras, laptops or cell phones. But since consumer demand for conflict-free products helps create a market for them, please share this video and let tech companies know that if they make conflict-free products, you'll buy them.
jonathanhutson 1 year ago
@vietor33 : I think that that's the whole point. We should push for conflict-free devices so that we don't have to use them.
guzzini 1 year ago
@vietor33 I bet she is also ok with the heavily computer intensive banking system thats delivering her checks.
mmendes98 1 year ago
@vietor33 Dumbest comment ever!!! She is asking for an opportunity to buy products not made using conflict minerals. Right now that market does not exist. What would you have her do? Go start a new company, make the products and THEN make the video? That would take years and the problem is right now.
Bryansix 1 year ago
@vietor33,
yeah, so? what's your point?
bebenic 1 year ago
@vietor33 Yes, and why does that matter? If anything it makes the case even worse - there are no alternatives, no choice to be made for consumers. At this time it's the tech industry that has to make the choice.
dansandb 1 year ago
@vietor33 I don't know. does it? And if so, so what? Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.
LynnsideEdition 1 year ago
@vietor33 lol you so right
Tehsty 1 year ago
@vietor33 yes
but by making this video, she can stop a bigger number of companies
rockinghaven 1 year ago
@vietor33 You've gotta start somewhere.
SuperMafioBrother 1 year ago
We can make a difference as consumers? Oh yeah, we can champion causes in foreign lands and create ripple effects that drastically raise prices on goods and services here, reduce jobs, and further stifle the economy. The "evil" corporations with ties to conflict minerals aren't going to lower profits because some bleeding hearts "make a difference". You may impact their cost, but you won't impact their margins. They will simply raise the prices to reflect the added expense that you create.
burgnet 1 year ago 3
Oh, okay. So lets not do anything. Companies DO CARE about their images getting dirty. If everyone thought like you, world would be even more miserable than it already is.
haisenpahalle 1 year ago
Wait so you're blaming companies for doing what they're supposed to do? Make as big a profit as possible? OK...
hexashadow13 1 year ago
@hexashadow13 but at what cost? a great way to make a profit would be to hire a factory full of workers, work 'em for a month, then kill them on payday. or did you mean a *legal* profit? well, it still doesn't apply because human rights violations are essentially illegal and the electronics companies know how these resources are acquired and are "providing material support" (oh, wouldn't it be nice if someone used the Patriot Act to actually protect people...)
loneshine 1 year ago
@hexashadow13 They are not blaming companies for doing what they are supposed to do but they are talking about how they get the materials and the conflicts of getting them.... Kind of like blood diamonds
patwil24 1 year ago
so you basically want us to destroy and stop buying cell phones, cameras, and laptops!!?? that will never happen it your life, this world is so dependent on those things for daily life...your video has a good position, but your means of getting there is ridiculous
651mikey 1 year ago
@651mikey the original definition of 'sin' is "to miss the target" or the point, and sir, you are a sinner. they aren't advocating destroying these things -that would just make all the loss of life mean nothing (and from a socioeconomic standpoint we'd look *great*: a nation of overprivileged people taking the overpriced products that slaves die to make and chucking them...)
this organization wants them to use materials that aren't soaked in blood and that don't support warlords
loneshine 1 year ago
Windows = OperativSystem
Mac = pc (with conflict minerals)
So, windows is software aka programs and stuff thats ON the computer, but mac is the computer : >
kingsmax4 1 year ago 2
@kingsmax4
who said ANYTHING contrary to that? the spot isn't windows v. mac it's PC v. Mac
PC = (personal) computer
Mac= computer
Windows & OS2 = operating systems
loneshine 1 year ago
I don't understand how this solution would work. If companies stopped buying from the Congo wouldn't that just hurt their economy and put people there out of jobs?
bigp132 1 year ago
@bigp132 if we stopped buying german and italian products during world war 2, wouldn't that just be putting poor nazis and brownshirts out of jobs? Yes, AND?...
it's not like these people are getting paid a living wage. far from it -many are getting paid with, uh, not being murdered (or having their families suffer the same fate), and enough nutritional sustenance to get up and work the next day. yeah these are slaves. a small percentage goes to upholding what we think of as legitimate life,
loneshine 1 year ago
@bigp132 but the lions share goes to fascist warlords and corrupt government officials. so i personally have no problem with bankrupting the warlords so they can't pay their mercenaries who will inevitably dissipate when the money goes away
loneshine 1 year ago 2
@bigp132 The problem is not to stop buying from congo, but stop buying from lord(s) of war that kills anyone can hurt their interesses and rape womans and childrens!
Did you see a little of difference?
You have to study on africa political situation before to post any comment on it.
Cheers from Italy.
dadoVRC 1 year ago 11
@bigp132
probably
obscenesAINT 1 year ago
a boycott won't solve anything
chigeh 1 year ago 3
I wonder if other countries can meet up to the supply of Congo :s. Maybe there is no alternative?
Second, stoping the flow of money to congo will result in more poverty and civil strife. I think the only real solution is education. With a heavy investment in education, oppurtunities will open and the rebel groups will be less necessary. Next to education, more investment in the economy can help. Instead of looking for other suppliers than Congo, internationals shoulc open factories there. tbc
chigeh 1 year ago 3
ironic the same devices used to fuel this war are used to post this video and spread the word for your cause. So somehow you are just as guilty. WEIRD!!!!
fuckengerginof 1 year ago 5
@fuckengerginof Yeah its like when people protest Oil drilling.They are out in a old clunky boat that burns diesel and drips it where ever it moves, It makes what the cars we use pail in comparison. To quote Bruce Willis in Armageddon: Do you know how much diesel that clunker boat pumps out in a hour?!
Scaash 1 year ago 10
@Scaash ok, for one, do you even know what you are talking about??? Diesel is actually 20-40% more efficient than gasoline engines. They also put 90% less carbon into the air. If you are going to say something next time, make sure you have your facts straight.
TheWeakness12 1 year ago
Stop buying, lets crash half of the worlds economy, thats populated by technology. We don't need to buy the best tech, alright we don't. But when we stop, people stop investing in it, and then technology stops improving. This is a joke, this videos entire point is redundant. As there is nothing you can do to stop using these videos. Products will always be bought. Please give up and have a good day.
Nightmare200X 1 year ago
i bet you edited this short on a mac that used conflict minerals
Beanmaster73 1 year ago
Okay... Lets put it this way, I'm the owner of a hardware company. I use these materials as stated in the video. These materials are cheap, easy to get and work well in my products. But now I am supposed to pay five times more just because these are so called "Conflict Minerals". I think you need to do a little more about the way business works and exactly how much it would cost to design new products around these "other" materials and start to manufacture new products with these materials.
TheMatt7000 1 year ago
@TheMatt7000
conflict minerals should be illegal. that's how they handled conflict diamonds and it seemed to work pretty well.
haisenpahalle 1 year ago
Well once you pay for the company's to pay for other materials we'll do it.
HUGE THUMBS DOWN
TheMatt7000 1 year ago
Im honestly so surprised that people think conflict metals are justifiable. An American life is just as important as any other human. Have some compassion. All this is trying to do is stop a violent massacre that we as consumers are unfortunately contributing too..... Im def going to stop splurging on new cellphones and computers. Im sad with the way our society makes this seem acceptable. absolutely disgusting. What is wrong with our minds?? We need to stop this holocaust thats now happening!
ecofoot1 1 year ago
Hi! I'm a Mac and I'm manufactured in China by underpaid and overworked individuals for very few dollars a day and sell them to the public for quadruple the price!
usedtobealawyer 1 year ago
@Vintendo11 English, please?
hamguy01 1 year ago
The conflict is due to poor government in Congo, because if they were to have a export trade system controlled and done properly there would be no conflict, and we would continue to buy cheap minerals from that country and buy our electronics cheap here.
Albanianator 1 year ago
Wha? I think the reason Microsoft and Apple aren't "telling you" this is because they didn't think it would affect the war in the Congo. I think it's wrong to "exploit" these companies in order to show some kind of activism -_-"
UnderAvg 1 year ago