This American Life Retracts Episode On Apple Factories In China

New submitter Hartree writes "This American Life aired an episode in January about visiting Foxconn's factory in Shenzhen China that supplies Apple with iPhones and iPads. It was the most downloaded of all of its episodes. That show helped prompt Apple to release, for the first time, a list of its suppliers and allow outside audits of working conditions at its suppliers. This American Life has now retracted the episode after finding out that Mike Daisey, whose visit to the factory the show was based on, fabricated portions of the story. This included a number of minor items, but also major ones such as his saying that he personally met underage workers and those poisoned by hexane exposure. To set the record straight, this weekend's episode of This American Life will present how they were mislead into airing a flawed story (PDF)."

Comments

Not to worry

[RyoShin]

It's okay, This American Life. Slashdot has been lacking in fact checking, posting sensationalist stories, and using untrusted sources for years. You'll be fine, don't cry.

My cynical nature

[dmomo]

Wants me to believe that the story is true as originally aired and that this is some sort of PR clean-up strong-armed by Apple.

If that's not the case, good for NPR for admitting to and taking responsibility for their mistakes.

coordinated attack...

[schlachter]

I think you mean that FOX would launch a coordinated attack on Obama and the Democrats....regardless of who brought the truth to light. :)