Is buying a Fairphone really ethical?

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DomtheCuber
DomtheCuber
Arena Apprentice
Original poster
• 2w ago

The Fairphone 6 just launched, and I love what Fairphone is trying to do, but at the same time, I don't feel like their goal of all smartphones being built to last and free from worker exploitation can be achieved simply through making an ethical phone company. Rather, I think that in the short term, we need stronger regulations on sustainability like the EU battery repairability law coming in 2027, and in the long term we need to shift towards an economic system that isn't about corporations accumulating as much money as possible though the overproduction of goods and the exploitation of workers. Until we make that future arrive, I feel like just buying a used phone or keeping your old phone for longer is the most ethical consumer choice you can make.


However, I've heard some people argue that the Fairphone is doing a very good thing by showing that a more sustainable future for phones is possible, even in a system where sustainability is discouraged the second it becomes anything more than a marketing term used to greenwash the actions of big companies. And by doing this, Fairphone is not only moving the industry forward to more sustainable practices but also encouraging stronger regulation on other phone companies by showing that building a phone that isn't so anti-consumer can be done if these bigger companies, which operate on a greater scale and have more resources available to do so, actually try. And many of these people would argue that because of this noble mission, if someone has the financial means to buy a Fairphone over other brands, then choosing to do so would actually be a more pro-environment and pro-worker choice than buying a used or refurbished phone, even though the Fairphone would take more resources to create compared to a used phone and would still result in some worker exploitation (although much less compared to other brands).


So I want to know what you guys think. Is buying a Fairphone really the most ethical choice, or is doing so just distracting from broader, more systemic change that will do much more to help workers and our planet in the long term?

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dp11117
dp11117
Arena Apprentice
• 2w ago

When they do silly things like remove the headphone jack and not add in offline FM to at least patch that then I have to say no. They are not ethical.

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spacecase_Prime
spacecase_Prime
Arena Apprentice
• 2w ago

There's no such thing as ethical consumption under capitalism. I think in an ideal world where greed, artificial inflation, and artificial scarcity don't exit, it has a shot at being a good idea. The cost would be relatively mitigated, because there would be a more reasonable baseline and less variation from the lowest worker to the highest, profits wouldn't outstrip needs, and wealth would never be hoarded. With wealth making regular circulations, the idea of an ethical phone is much more attainable, both in practice and in price.

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mihaidenis
mihaidenis
Arena Apprentice
• 2w ago
↵dp11117 said:

When they do silly things like remove the headphone jack and not add in offline FM to at least patch that then I have to say no. They are not ethical.

Check YouTube.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Q79Jl842B4g

In this video you can see the CEO of the company wasting time answering questions nobody asked for. That said all about the company.

Period.

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Baeloro1481
Baeloro1481
Arena Apprentice
• 1w ago
↵DomtheCuber said:

The Fairphone 6 just launched, and I love what Fairphone is trying to do, but at the same time, I don't feel like their goal of all smartphones being built to last and free from worker exploitation can be achieved simply through making an ethical phone company. Rather, I think that in the short term, we need stronger regulations on sustainability like the EU battery repairability law coming in 2027, and in the long term we need to shift towards an economic system that isn't about corporations accumulating as much money as possible though the overproduction of goods and the exploitation of workers. Until we make that future arrive, I feel like just buying a used phone or keeping your old phone for longer is the most ethical consumer choice you can make.


However, I've heard some people argue that the Fairphone is doing a very good thing by showing that a more sustainable future for phones is possible, even in a system where sustainability is discouraged the second it becomes anything more than a marketing term used to greenwash the actions of big companies. And by doing this, Fairphone is not only moving the industry forward to more sustainable practices but also encouraging stronger regulation on other phone companies by showing that building a phone that isn't so anti-consumer can be done if these bigger companies, which operate on a greater scale and have more resources available to do so, actually try. And many of these people would argue that because of this noble mission, if someone has the financial means to buy a Fairphone over other brands, then choosing to do so would actually be a more pro-environment and pro-worker choice than buying a used or refurbished phone, even though the Fairphone would take more resources to create compared to a used phone and would still result in some worker exploitation (although much less compared to other brands).


So I want to know what you guys think. Is buying a Fairphone really the most ethical choice, or is doing so just distracting from broader, more systemic change that will do much more to help workers and our planet in the long term?

Repair technician with 25 years consumer electronics experience: when you boil it down the actual phone, remove the gimmick of 'repairable design,' you're left with a device that has very low durability, won't withstand the everyday rigors of normal use.


A modern day budget phone at $300 is going to do better in terms of normal every day use, many come with ip68 protection. Fairphone is ip55. Basically not durable. At all.

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jack4568
jack4568
Arena Apprentice
• 1w ago

Fairphone is more ethical than most smart phones it focuses on fair labor, sustainable materials and easy setting and repairs. Not perfect but a strong best ethical choice.

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jackqasim4
jackqasim4
Arena Apprentice
• 1w ago

Yes, Fairphone is more ethical than most phones it's designed to be repairable uses fairer materials, and supports better labor practices.

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cavalloacquatico
cavalloacquatico
Arena Apprentice
• 1w ago

Every claim in article is illogical. A low quality phone = overproduction and low salaries.

Slow old tech processor, storage & RAM, + not enough, means this phone will be slow as molasses in months.

It's like saying a 99 cent store pays higher salaries while its products last many years.


Red flag terms that denote illogical critical thinking / the opposite result in real life / loss of personal freedoms / lower product quality:

Fair, sustainable, worker exploitation, ethical, pro environment, corporate profiteering, more government regulations needed, equality, overconsumption, wealth accumulation / hoarding.

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jackqasim4
jackqasim4
Arena Apprentice
• 1w ago

Yes: Fairphone is more ethical than most phones it is built with fair trade materials, better labor practices and modular design for longevity.

No: It is not 100% ethical still relies on global supply chains with some environmental and labor issues.

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Stanislav Serbezov
Stanislav Serbezov
Phonearena team
• 1w ago

Ultimately, I feel like it's a purchasing decision intended to flag a user need, and make certain groups of users feel good about their pick. Not that there is anything bad in that last bit.


Point is: drop in an ocean is still just a drop. We've got a long way to go, but it is intriguing to see the different approaches at play.

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