Complicit
This episode of Four Corners screens a shortened version of the 2017 human rights documentary Complicit, directed by Heather White & Lynn Zhang.
Filmed over 3 years it investigates the Chinese workers paying the price for our mobile phone obsession.
"There were iPhone screens and Nokia screens…I held the phone screen in my left hand, and a piece of cloth in my right hand… Wiping was the only thing I did besides eating and sleeping." Teenage worker
Mobile phones, smartphones and tablets have revolutionised the way we communicate but the technology we are addicted to has had toxic consequences.
"I knew we worked with chemicals, but I had no idea that it's poison." Young worker
China produces approximately 90% of the world's consumer electronics. The factories making the components for these electronic goods are filled with young workers. Some have been exposed to poisonous chemicals, with devastating results.
"Many co-workers developed the exact same symptoms. When I walked, it looked like I had uneven legs. It would take 10 minutes to take a two-minute walk. My legs felt too heavy to move." Worker
This investigation, filmed secretly over four years, exposed the use of harmful chemicals in the factories producing the products many of us use. Hidden cameras captured the working conditions inside the factories churning out these products.
"It was the cleaning solution he used, which contained benzene, when he was working at the electronics factory that caused his disease." Father of sick worker
The film charts the growing realisation amongst the workers that their illnesses stem from their work and follows their fight for compensation.
"After we discovered so many workers with leukemia…more media reports followed up and showed that these workers were chemically poisoned." Worker activist
The landmark investigation led Apple to ban the use of benzene, a known carcinogen, and n-hexane, a chemical that damages the nervous system.
But the ban does not apply to subcontractors who make up two-thirds of Apple's supply chain. And around 500 other chemicals are still used to produce electronics, mostly in the developing world, where there are few or no regulations to protect the workers who make them.
"Many of the workers that I've helped got occupational diseases due to exposure to toxic chemicals. Many are from the electronics industry. They made cell phones, computers, semiconductors etc." Worker activist
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service
Restaurateurs who are looking for a quick fix or social media glow-up are in for the surprise of their lives when famed culinary titan Gordon Ramsay trades his signature chef knives for a state-of-the-art surveillance vehicle and cutting-edge spyware in FOX's all-new unscripted series, Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service. In a Gordon Ramsay series first, Chef Ramsay will venture into struggling restaurants under the cover of night. With the help of a secret source on the inside, he'll gather raw, unfiltered evidence and get a 360-degree view of the major issues facing each restaurant. This insider will not only remain a secret to the staff, but will also help Ramsay infiltrate the restaurant after-hours for a dramatic nighttime black light kitchen investigation that reveals more filth and grossness than ever before. By the time Ramsay reveals his identity, it will be too late for staff to cover up their culinary crimes. Gordon Ramsay's Secret Service will be his toughest assignment yet as he takes drastic measures to transform not only the restaurant but also the staff, because Gordon knows he can upgrade the menu and renovate the restaurant, but the most important change has to come from the people. Are the restaurant and staff willing to accept Gordon's mission, or are they too far gone to be saved?
America's Got Talent
With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
Criminal Record
Criminal Record is a powerful, character-driven thriller set in the heart of contemporary London. An anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives into a confrontation over an old murder case – one a young woman in the early stages of her career, the other a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy. The series touches on issues of race, institutional failure, and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain.
Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! is a classic game show -- with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's "answers" being worth more prize money).