Skip to main content

Lenovo laptops used for remote learning may have ties to forced labor

As some children head back to school virtually, the laptops they use for school could have problematic ties to forced labor, according to a new report. 

The Intercept reports that Lenovo imported an estimated 258,000 laptops made by Chinese manufacturer, Hefei Bitland, in a labor scheme flagged for violating human rights. The manufacturer reportedly participates in a Chinese government program that uses cheap labor from persecuted Uyghurs.

Recommended Videos

The report found that certain Hefei Bitland-made Lenovo computers were headed for public schools in the U.S. While some have already been delivered to customers, others were removed from distribution in recent weeks by Lenovo.

Lenovo makes laptops such as the IdeaPad Slim 7 and the foldable ThinkPad X1 Fold. The company also has a pair of Android tablets called the Tab P11 Pro and the Tab M10 HD. 

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Digital Trends reached out to Lenovo for comment. We will update this story when we hear back. 

Hefei Bitland has been accused of using forced labor since 2018. The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) added the company to its Entity List for using forced labor on July 20.

“The Entity List is a tool utilized by BIS to restrict the export, re-export, and transfer (in-country) of items subject to the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to persons (individuals, organizations, companies) reasonably believed to be involved, or to pose a significant risk of becoming involved, in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” according to a government statement at the time.

The Intercept reports that Lenovo’s shipments continued to go out even after the BIS added Hefei Bitland to the list. 

Aside from Lenovo, other companies have also recently been accused of using the forced labor of Uighur Muslims in China.

Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and other companies were specifically called out in a report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s International Cyber Policy Centre in July. 

Allison Matyus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Allison Matyus is a general news reporter at Digital Trends. She covers any and all tech news, including issues around social…
How to watch the Google IO 2025 keynote
Google IO 2025 logo

Google IO 2025 takes place today, and you'll be able to watch the keynote livestream right here, via the video player above.

While IO is predominantly a developer conference, the opening keynote of the two-day event always delivers exciting news on new products and services Google has been working on.

Read more
Google IO 2025 keynote recap: how the Gemini AI fest unfolded
The stage for Google I/O 2024.

The Google IO 2025 keynote has concluded. We spent almost two hours watching the announcements made at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, California and if you're looking for anything other than AI you'll be hard pressed to find something.

Yes, Google spent pretty much the entire keynote speaking about Gemini AI and a host of new AI features it's bringing to its various platforms and tools. What's good is a lot of the new announcements are rolling out today, giving us the chance to try them out - such as AI Mode in Google Search for those in the US.

Read more
Google’s new Flow tool brings AI magic to video creation
The Google Flow tool in action.

Google’s latest I/O event, which took place on Tuesday, showcased a striking expansion of AI across its growing range of products, with new generative tools like Imagen 4 for images, Veo 3 for video, and Flow for AI-driven filmmaking, taking center stage alongside a revamped AI-powered search experience and the premium Google AI Ultra subscription.

The all-new Flow editing tool enables AI-powered movie creation and -- at least at first glance -- marks a significant leap in Google's creative AI capabilities.

Read more