[Update: Matt Brown, associate director of communications, has stated that the Enough Project does not sanction this boycott: We at Enough have never advocated for a boycott of electronics, so this is a misrepresentation of our views. We advocate strongly for people to use their electronic devices - cell phones, laptops, and video game systems -- to contact the makers of these electronics and tell them to make verifiably conflict-free products. The companies should do this through tracing, auditing, and certification. Consumers can go to our website at www.raisehopeforcongo.org to lean more.]
A Facebook movement is getting a lot of attention for its plans to boycott the Nintendo 3DS. The group posits that the 3DS is made from "conflict mineral" -- material mined in the Congo by oppressed workers led by armed rebel groups.
The scheme has been hatched by a representative of the Enough Project, a group dedicated to fighting human rights abuses and genocide. According to the spokesman, Nintendo is "allowing people to die and suffer grave human rights abuses for the sake of video game console production."
"What I am asking you to do is to refuse to buy a Nintendo 3DS system until Nintendo announces plans to halt use of conflict minerals in production -- and this can only happen through monitoring of trade systems," states the group. "I am not in any way opposed to the 3DS itself -- I actually think it's one of the coolest things I've never seen in person. But I am not going to be one of the millions who looks the other way purely for entertainment, and I hope you will join me."
It seems that quite a few gamers who joined the group aren't exactly steadfast comrades, having answered the call with vitriolic rejoinders: "Sure, whining like a faggot is cool and all, but seriously. Get the sticks out of your asses, kiddo', a few lost sales isn't going to do Nintendo any."
Seems weird to me that the 3DS is being picked on when there are likely thousands of things that could be accused, but I guess it's all about what gets attention. What about you? Do you agree that Nintendo should be punished for possibly funding human rights abuse? Or do you accept this as a sad fact of capitalism in which the poor must exist for there to be wealth? More importantly ... how excited are you for Nintendogs?
Contest:
8:34 AM on 02.27.2011 | 
*grabs 3DS and runs*
Seriously, fuck Nestle.
It broke my spirit when I first travelled overseas to do some aid work. It completely changed my outlook on life too. I will still be purchasing a 3DS. That facebook group is tripe.
Umm.... Congo sweat and tears...:p
Kinda hypocritical when Apple's China factories probably still have workers in slave-like conditions and no one seems to give a fuck about it.
Lady Luck shines upon me once more :D
I swear you just got yanked and killed in mid sentence with your 1st comment and replaced with a level headed person with the 2nd lol
Sure its apparently fine that another 12 FoxCon employees will commit suicide at the plant in the next year and a half.... but someone is suffering in the Congo so suddenly its a problem.
But I will wager they drive a car and I'd put money that a good portion of the crude oil comes from countries with some pretty substantial human rights violations ..... so if they really want to put their "convictions" where their mouth is they would buy electric .... oh wait the batteries on those things probably contain "conflict materials" so they would walk everywhere? in fair trade hemp shoes ....
Yeah pretty much Scapegoating Nintendo when they probably have a house full of tech that sport "conflict" materials or are manufactured in abhorrent conditions.
But I can't support the argument, that Nintendo isn't hurt by this. Every consumer, who doesn't buy their stuff is a loss of money. And as we can see, there aren't only two people boycotting Nintendo. For example, I don't buy anything by Ubisoft because of their crappy "be-online-your-whole-life-to-play-five-minutes-because-our-servers-suck" stuff. And although they stopped it for Brotherhood for example, they pissed me off with this, so they won't get any money from me. If I'd do such things also because of work conditions I could sell my computer and half my room's furniture.
Am I the only one NOT surprised by the connection?
May 15th on Ps3 and Xbox 360
coming soon on 3DS
What the is wrong with you people who don't care that people die in order to produce a product you don't need?
NINJA, PLEEZ.
I'd be a lot happier if there were zero funny commenys. This is not a subject that I see any reason to joke about.
I applaud the group for "using" the 3DS to bring awareness to a serious issue.
@Rogue257 agree :P
You heard the man, this is SERIOUSH BIZNESS
I hope Nintendo says fuck these guys and continue to do whatever, because there are other corporations that need a protestin. Like Sega, because they still haven't made Jet Set Radio 3.
@Neroisonfire Sorry, what's that? I can't hear your whining over the sound my 3DS is making. Besides, I'm pretty sure that the conga-opression-whatever isn't the ONLY way you can get those materials
Having said that, who do we blame? Nintendo? They may unintentionally support conflict materials (like everyone). No, you know what? Let's blame the source for a goddam change in this overly PC world of "defending those who can't defend themselves." Africa? You listening? FIX YOUR SHIT! Government sponsored AIDS myths that include sex with a virgin will rid you of AIDS leading to nary a 12 year old girl making it to 13 without being horribly and violently raped? FIX YOUR SHIT! The founding of a governmental branch to investigate and prosecute witch doctors because killing your neighbors children for the off chance of a better, richer life is on a dramatic rise the likes of which hasn't been seen since the African Campaign nearly 100 years ago? FIX YOUR SHIT! An entire economy based on deriving minerals from certain areas through horribly mistreated child labor? FIX YOUR SHIT! Maybe it's about time Africa starts working on solving it's out problems. Libya was a start, Conga... you paying attention?
Think about it logically; they'll either sell the product to someone else, or the rebelling groups in the Congo won't really have a use for their oppressed workers, and who knows what happens then. Unless there's some sort of special trick that goes along with this, I can't see how not buying a 3DS will discourage rebels in the Congo from oppressing anyone.
You're on a gaming website not the Newsnight forums, lighten up.
"We have to go in and get the minerals..."
THIS SUMMER
GET READY FOR THE Wi...REVOLUTION
NINTENDO: THE MOVIE
Still buying a 3DS; I don't think realistically my social responsibility should extend to what seven guys down the line before me did.
Just means there will be more for everyone else.
I'm glad groups like this do put pressure on companies to know where there products are coming from and that there is ethical treatment for the people involved, but this really isn't the way to go about it.
1. The 3DS is going to sell craploads. Makes perfect sense for your cause to focus on an item that is going to be a top.
2. Just because there are "thousands" of other items, they shouldn't protest the 3DS? It's one of the thousands, so protesting it does the same amount of good it would to protest any other singular product.
Apparently my suspicions were correct.