Apple Supply Chain Suicides and Amazon Review Scams: Tech's Five Dirtiest Secrets

Just because people love shiny electronic gizmos doesn't mean they should be kept in the dark about some technology firms' practices, and the recent spate of suicides among Chinese factory workers in Apple's supply chain are only one example. While many factories, even in the U.S., expose their workers to dangerous conditions and poor salaries, the tech world is now inundated with stories about Amazon scammers, Facebook clickjackers, SOPA, PIPA and Google+ privacy concerns.

And it gets worse. The FBI is now considering setting up a surveillance system, specifically to watch social networks for signs of, well, terrorism and criminal activity. Add to that Twitter's new found love of voluntarily censoring itself in some countries, and it equals a mess bad publicity those companies would rather not discuss (Facebook even held a press conference recently where they wanted reporters to sign non-disclosure agreements).

Does all this mean people are bad if they support these companies or buy their products? No, but shining a light on what's really going on at some of the biggest tech firms is a good thing because people will want to find out more, and they might even start asking the right questions. Those questions in turn could lead to real changes in some of the most popular businesses in the world. Star the slideshow to see tech's five dirtiest secrets. Tell us in the comments if surprised to hear them or if you suspected as much all along.