@realnewsnobullshit: The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has ruled against holding five major technology companies liable for their alleged role in utilizing child labor within cobalt mining operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This unanimous decision acquits Alphabet, Apple, Dell Technologies, Microsoft, and Tesla from accusations made by former child miners and their representatives, who argued that the companies were complicit in a "forced labor" scheme by procuring cobalt crucial for lithium-ion batteries. Victims claimed that these corporations "deliberately obscured" their reliance on child labor, driven by the dire circumstances of hunger and poverty, to meet their escalating demand for cobalt. The court found that the act of purchasing cobalt within the global supply chain did not equate to "participation in a venture" that violated a federal law aimed at protecting children and other forced labor victims. Circuit Judge Neomi Rao acknowledged the plaintiffs' legal standing but determined they failed to demonstrate that the companies had more than a buyer-seller relationship with suppliers or any influence to end child labor practices. Rao also noted the involvement of multiple parties in labor trafficking, including labor brokers, other consumers of cobalt, and the DRC government, complicating the accountability for child labor. Terry Collingsworth, representing the plaintiffs, expressed disappointment and hinted at the possibility of further appeals or initiating new lawsuits that align with the court's interpretation. Collingsworth criticized the verdict for potentially encouraging companies to reduce transparency with their suppliers despite publicly declared "zero tolerance" policies against child labor. "We are far from finished seeking accountability." #DRC #Cobalt #News

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Tuesday 05 March 2024 22:47:56 GMT