Play Fair 2008: "Genuine Olympic Goods Made By Children"

The moral implication of buying counterfeited or pirated goods is not only that they infringe the IPRs of the owners, but that it might be manufactured by children, in bad working conditions, pollute the environment etc. There is a total lack of accountability of trademark counterfeiters and copyright pirates. With genuine products this might also be a problem, but then at least the media can give attention to it, and after some naming and shaing the problem can be solved. A good example of this mechanism is the Play Fair 2008 campaign that is now in full swing.

The Play Fair 2008 campaign is an alliance of Oxfams, Global Unions, the Clean Clothes Campaign and their constituent organisations worldwide. The Play Fair 2008 points out that four factories in Southern China that were authorised to make the official souvernirs for the 2008 Olympics allegedly broke national labour laws on child labour, overtime pay and minium wages to make souvernirs.

Read the report of Play Fair 2008 here.