Foxconn Shuts Plant as Workers Injured, Arrested in Brawl

I'm aware of the problems which have gone on at Foxconn and personally I do not wish to purchase products manufactured in that manner. The main problem is that as a consumer it's hard to distinguish between products constructed within reasonable working practices and other products made under conditions analogous to slavery in prison-like dormitories. So I think there needs to be something similar to "fair trade", but for computing gadgets.

"the fight had started between the rival worker groups in Foxconn dorms"

Perhaps they mean gangs? I find myself bummed out about the lack of assurance that I can obtain a mainstream mobile product (or, heck, computer-like product) produced in such a way that doesn't, at some point, involve workers in prison-like conditions.

Now I can't say with any certainty that I know for a fact that conditions are actually like this, but the rumors and stories you hear from China certainly don't make things sound good. What is one to do?

+ Pro Publica's coverage on this: http://www.propublica.org/article/by-the-numbers-life-and-de...

+ Yes Lab "anti-iPhone" game taken down fr the Apple store moves to Android: http://phonestory.org

Wonder what this will do to iPhone 5 shipments... Probably a lot less than the perceived damage since this will start up another round of working condition articles in Western press.

The end result will likely be a shortened timeline for Foxconn's robotics plan. Robots rarely stage protests.