News From The Future: People Who Make Your iGadgets Have Anti-Suicide Agreements

And you thought the iTunes EULA was pretty demanding? “You are NOT allowed to commit suicide: Workers in Chinese iPad factories forced to sign pledges” –

Factories making sought-after Apple iPads and iPhones in China are forcing staff to sign pledges not to commit suicide, an investigation has revealed. At least 14 workers at Foxconn factories in China have killed themselves in the last 16 months as a result of horrendous working conditions.Many more are believed to have either survived attempts or been stopped before trying at the Apple supplier’s plants in Chengdu or Shenzen. After a spate of suicides last year, managers at the factories ordered new staff to sign pledges that they would not attempt to kill themselves, according to researchers. And they were made to promise that if they did, their families would only seek the legal minimum in damages.

Pictured above, nets outside the Foxconn factory.

If we all knew how and where everything we enjoyed was made, would we reconsider some of our purchases? It’s completely “black box” to all of us for the most part, who knows how much people are paid or what they need to agree to when making our iGadgets. Are you more or less likely get the new iMac knowing that the workers who made it needed to sign anti-suicide agreements? As a commenter pointed out, it’s not just Apple that uses Foxconn, pretty much everyone who makes things in major numbers seems to.

Post your thoughts up in the comments.

Related:

1 Million Workers. 90 Million iPhones. 17 Suicides. Who’s to Blame?