SZA sparks buzz with alleged comment about Apple's iPhone 17 and Congo child labour deaths
Photo: Reuters
Singer SZA stirred online discussion after commenting on an Instagram post questioning whether the new iPhone 17 Pro Max is worth buying.
Under a photo of Dua Lipa performing, captioned “IF ANYONE ASKS IF THE IPHONE 17 PRO MAX IS WORTH IT, JUST SHOW THEM THIS (WAIT FOR THE ZOOM OUT),” SZA wrote, “Children in Congo literally died for this phone. I absolutely hope the zoom was worth it.”
What’s wrong with this girl 😭 pic.twitter.com/rpmByJVpXw
The comment quickly went viral, prompting both criticism and praise. Many users questioned her own use of the device in Instagram pictures, while others defended her for drawing attention to human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to industry data, over 70% of the world’s cobalt—used in rechargeable lithium batteries for smartphones—is mined in the DRC. Reports from the United Nations and human rights groups have long documented instances of child labour, forced labour, and dangerous working conditions in cobalt mines.
In 2019, a lawsuit filed in Washington, DC by International Rights Advocates accused Apple, Google, Dell, Microsoft, and Tesla of aiding and abetting the deaths and injuries of children mining cobalt in the DRC.
In 2024, the DRC government filed criminal complaints in France and Belgium against Apple subsidiaries, alleging the use of conflict minerals such as tin, tantalum, and tungsten from war zones—claims Apple has denied.
Apple has pledged to use 100% recycled cobalt in its products by 2025 and conducts audits of its suppliers to ensure ethical sourcing.
Online reactions to SZA’s comment were divided. Some called her “hypocritical,” while others praised her for “raising awareness about suffering in the world.”
The debate highlights growing public tension between celebrity activism and the ethics of technology consumption.