U.S. Appeals Court Dismisses Child Labor Case Against Major Tech Companies

The court ruled that purchasing cobalt does not constitute 'participation in a venture' under anti-trafficking law, absolving companies like Apple and Google.

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of tech giants, including Apple, Google, and Tesla, in a lawsuit alleging their complicity in child labor practices in Congo's cobalt mines.
The plaintiffs, former child miners, accused the companies of knowingly benefiting from forced labor in the cobalt supply chain used for lithium-ion batteries.
The court found that the tech companies did not have more than a buyer-seller relationship with the cobalt suppliers, and thus could not be held liable under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008.
Human rights organizations and the plaintiffs' lawyer have criticized the ruling, highlighting the tech companies' lack of transparency and accountability in their supply chains.
The decision may be appealed further, with plaintiffs' representatives considering additional lawsuits based on the court's criteria for 'participation in a venture'.