Problems That Were Touched On In Ted Talk By Alastair Gray

In the Ted Talk “How fake handbags fund terrorism and organized crimes” by Alastair Gray the speaker talks about how buying these items may help out criminals. Counterfeit items such as luxury handbags, clothing, and expensive watches all fund terrorism and organized crimes. Counterfeit goods help support terrorism and gangs by providing money for weapons and supplies. Not only does the sale of fake luxury items support crime, but it also contributes to child labor. Most of the fake luxury items are made in sweatshops and will typically have children working at a minimum wage under harsh conditions. Children are mistreated in the sweatshops ran by criminals and by buying counterfeit items, people can be contributing to it. People who sell fake items do not contribute to paying taxes which does not help the community. The sale of fake, but cheap and easily obtainable, goods should have more stricter laws set for people who sell and buy these goods.

From Alastair’s Gray Ted Talk “How fake handbags fund terrorism and organized crime” the speaker informs the audience of the dangers of buying fake products. The speaker states that selling fake products makes much more profit than selling drugs which comes with a minor to no penalty. The sale of the counterfeit items are popular since the prices for products that you would get for a thousand dollars goes down to maybe twenty or even ten dollars. Not enough sellers get caught or in trouble for selling fake goods. Criminals and gangs do not worry about getting caught or getting a major penalty on a serious crime because the laws are not enforced well enough for them to stop.

Most of the products made are incredibly cheap since they are manufactured with really cheap products and from child labor. In the Ted Talk, Gray states what a “tourist on holiday doesn’t see about those fake handbags is they may well have been stitched together by a child who was trafficked away from her family, and what the car repair shop owner doesn’t realize about those fake brake pads is they may well be lining the pockets of an organized crime gang involved in drugs and prostitution.” He points out how most of these products come from criminals and children that are exploited to make these products. Buy buying these illegitimate products people are supporting child labor and prostitution. Having lenient laws that let criminals get away with this, affects everyone.

Counterfeit items are illegal but the laws are not enforced hard enough for the people to follow. Many people are also uneducated on the topic and do not think about where these products are coming from and who is manufacturing them. Enforcing the laws would help the community and oppose the sales of fake goods.

Work Cited

Gray, Alastair. “How Fake Handbags Fund Terrorism and Organized Crime.” Ted, Ted, Nov. 2017, www.ted.com/talks/alastair_gray_how_fake_handbags_fund_terrorism_and_organized_crime.