An iphone game which takes players through the disturbing process of the creation of a "smart phone" has been banned from the app store.
The game features levels set in the congo, where players must bully child labor into working faster in the collection of rare earth minerals.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NYXZXBajvY
Now, I don't really look down upon tech users for buying products whose productions sources are dubious. What I do look down upon is hypocrisy and censorship, by big companies.
Here is the scale of fault I see:
1. The countries that allow human rights to be exploited – ultimately these are the only people who can change things once and for all.
2. Multinational companies – they have quite a bit of money now, apple, for instance, could go the way of HP and Microsoft in tracking it's sources for rare earth minerals.
3. The consumer – not really the consumers fault, I would say, but it does give me a good excuse to dis those flapping urban hippies who think they are so "left wing" but prance around in loafers while playing with their iphones.
Where's the hypocrisy?
Apps are not permitted to use the Apple logo within an app. Period. It was wrong for it to even make it to the store on this alone.
I make no judgement whatsoever about the theme of the app.
Apps are not permitted to use the Apple logo within an app. Period. It was wrong for it to even make it to the store on this alone.
I haven't read anywhere that the ban had anything to do with the Apple logo appearing within the app, so not sure where you are getting that from. I did however read elsewhere that they included a phone with a "pear logo" (an obvious parody)! :P