Inexpensive phone choices, no slave labor?

[Kayza]

I'm looking for a decent low end phone that is not made in China, or at least we can be pretty confident that the company is not using slave labor to make those phones.

I want something that's relatively recent, preferably an Android One phone. Something like the Nokia 2.3 or even the 2.2 (The Nokia is made in China, at it seems that although they say that they don't allow slave labor, some of their subcontractors are using Uighur labor.)

Any ideas would be much appreciated!

 

[anon(10614692)]

I admire your stance but this is going to take quite a lot of research which I doubt many have even considered. I think you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and carry out your own research. You are talking about devices where parts are sourced form different countries so it's quite a job.

I wish you well.

 

[blue claire]

How do you define "slave labor"? We all know why big companies move their factories to developing countries. If it's not China, it's gonna be other countries where people are paid way lower than the average in the developed world. If that's what bothers you, I doubt there's anything we can do about it.

And, what is "Uighur labor"? Do you really believe the story in the media? If that's what bothers you, just dig a little bit and try to find out the truth, or find out why some media tell such a "story". Maybe it won't bother you too much then.

 

[ptkelly]

When I was 19 I got a job in a factory in Kentucky that was moving from Chicago. Due to vandalized merchandise arriving from Chicago, they were obviously not happy. I asked a necktie one day, why they were leaving Chicago. "What are you getting paid?" "Dollar an hour." "The guy in Chicago got $7.50 and didn't show up half the time." Aha! Recently, I had a Democrat tell me she not only had never worked for a dollar an hour and never would have. My response was, "You obviously had a choice."

I live in Mexico and people here ask me if it's true that the government sends you a check if you don't want to work in the U.S. I explain it takes a little lying but yes they get a check.

So, I also want to know what liberals consider "slave wages"? Less than $1.5 million a year? If you think about using "living wage" explain what you think that is, too. I've never understood it. As for, minimum wage won't support a family any longer, I would ask when it did. I'm only 79 but it would never support a family in my lifetime. That's why I held multiple minimum wage jobs when I was getting started and why I didn't stay at minimum wage.

 

[Kayza]

I admire your stance but this is going to take quite a lot of research which I doubt many have even considered. I think you are going to have to roll up your sleeves and carry out your own research. You are talking about devices where parts are sourced form different countries so it's quite a job.

Yes, it's a fair amount of research. But if someone has already done some research, I hope they would be willing to share what they have learned.

I suspect that I may wind up with a phone that I cannot guarantee was not touched by slave labor, but at least the company that made it doesn't use slave labor nor do they allow their sub-contractors to do so. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction.

 

[Ry]

Yes, it's a fair amount of research. But if someone has already done some research, I hope they would be willing to share what they have learned.

I suspect that I may wind up with a phone that I cannot guarantee was not touched by slave labor, but at least the company that made it doesn't use slave labor nor do they allow their sub-contractors to do so. Not perfect, but a step in the right direction.

What is your definition of "slave labor"?

 

[Ry]

Also have you looked into Fair Phone?

https://www.fairphone.com/en/story/

 

[Kayza]

It's not available in the US.

 

[Ry]

Still curious on the definition of "slave labor"..

 

[Mike Dee]

Still curious on the definition of "slave labor"..

Textbook definition is labor that is coerced and inadequately rewarded, or the people who perform such labor.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

It's almost impossible to get an electronic device that doesn't involve China, they are by far the worlds largest REM producer and also have the world's largest reserves. You can't make electronics without them.

Then they also have dirt cheap labor and fewer regulations than most counties. Every electronics manufacturer I can think of either assembles their product in China or gets parts from them.

 

[Kayza]

Yes, I realize that I probably can't TOTALLY avoid China, and possibly not even the slave labor, but I'd like to push back as much as I can. A phone made in China is more profit to China that a phone made elsewhere with some parts from China.

 

[L0n3N1nja]

Yes, I realize that I probably can't TOTALLY avoid China, and possibly not even the slave labor, but I'd like to push back as much as I can. A phone made in China is more profit to China that a phone made elsewhere with some parts from China.

Samsung doesn't manufacture in China(as of 2019), most of their phones are made in Vietnam but they also manufacture in their home country of South Korea(and source some of their parts there), India, Brazil, and Indonesia.

I've got no idea how many components they get from China if any, but like I previously said China is by far the worlds leading producer of REMs(rare earth metals) which are vital for the production of electronics. So I can almost guarentee they get raw materials from Chinese mines.

ASUS makes their ROG phone in Taiwan.

LG moved manufacturing of their premium handsets from South Korea to Vietnam last year, not sure where the budget models are made.

Motorola makes their phones in a mix of China and India, but since they're now owned my Lenovo and that's a Chiness company that's probably a no go for you. Too bad they aren't made in the US anymore like they were years ago.

Nokia is based in Finland but I believe since HDM took over all the manufacturing is in China.

Any phone brand I can think of that I didn't mention is a Chinese company.

 

[anon(40376)]

How do you define "slave labor"? We all know why big companies move their factories to developing countries. If it's not China, it's gonna be other countries where people are paid way lower than the average in the developed world. If that's what bothers you, I doubt there's anything we can do about it.

And, what is "Uighur labor"? Do you really believe the story in the media? If that's what bothers you, just dig a little bit and try to find out the truth, or find out why some media tell such a "story". Maybe it won't bother you too much then.

They are referring to the Uyghurs; an ethnic minority in China that primarily consists of Muslims. They are known to be housed in concentration camps by the Chinese gov't and also to be used as free labor to produce items. Although, most of the items they have been forced to produce is clothing.

As to the OP's question on what phones are not made with some time of slave labor in a country....that will take some research; however, is the OP as worried about the countries that support countries that use slave labor or just in a product produced by slave labor?