Apple—Multiple Apple suppliers linked to Uyghur forced labor programs in Xinjiang
From 2017-2021, multiple investigations revealed that Apple suppliers including O-Film, Lens Technology, Luxshare Precision, and others used Uyghur workers transferred from Xinjiang under China's forced labor programs. At least 1,800 workers from Uighur-majority Hotan Prefecture were sent to O-Film between 2017-2019, while Lens Technology received over 4,000 workers from Kashgar and Hotan. Despite Apple's claims of 'zero tolerance for forced labor,' Congressional investigators stated in 2021 that 'mounting evidence is beyond troubling' and Apple's supply chains were 'tainted.' In 2020, Apple lobbied to weaken the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, seeking to extend compliance deadlines and keep supply chain information private.
Scoring Impact
| Topic | Direction | Relevance | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Authoritarian Compliance | +toward | secondary | -0.50 |
| Supply Chain Ethics | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Worker Rights | -against | primary | -1.00 |
| Overall incident score = | -0.477 | ||
Score = avg(topic contributions) × significance (critical ×2) × confidence (0.57)× agency (negligent ×0.5)
Evidence (1 signal)
Investigations revealed Apple suppliers O-Film and Lens Technology used Uyghur forced labor transfers
Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified in March 2020 that Apple supplier O-Film used at least 1,800 Uyghur workers transferred from Xinjiang's Hotan Prefecture between 2017-2019. In January 2021, Tech Transparency Project investigation found Lens Technology—a key Apple supplier—received over 4,000 workers from Kashgar and Hotan arranged by Chinese government agencies. Congressional investigators stated in 2021 that 'mounting evidence is beyond troubling' and Apple's supply chains were 'tainted' despite Apple's claims of 'zero tolerance for forced labor.'