A look inside a Chinese sweatshop

Posted on Thursday, April 15 2010 @ 20:34 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck
The National Labor Committee has written an in-depth report about Chinese sweatshops from KYE Systems that produce mice, webcams and other hardware for Microsoft. Teenage workers are reportedly treated as prisoners, with 15-hour work shifts six to seven days a week, military-like discipline, prohibitions to leave the factory compound, lots of fines, sleep deprivation, bad food, and low pay. You can check out the report over here.

Microsoft responded to the report that it is taking the claims seriously and has commenced an investigation. KYE Systems also manufactures products for tech giant such as HP, Acer, Foxconn, Logitech, Asustek and Samsung.
Over the last three years, the following photographs were smuggled out of the KYE Systems factory in the south of China. These images of exhausted teenagers making Microsoft "Life Cam VX-7000; "Basic Optical Mouse" and "Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000" are not necessarily ones the American people would associate with Microsoft. Unfortunately these are Microsoft products, and Microsoft has been outsourcing production to the KYE factory since at least 2003.


About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.



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