In 2023, Elon Musk vowed to prove that Tesla's cobalt suppliers weren't using child or forced labour at mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After the board and investors from Tesla rejected a proposal to hire an outside monitor, Musk, the wealthiest person in the world, said he would put a live webcam on the cobalt plant instead.
"I heard a question raised about cobalt mining and you know what?" Musk asked an enthusiastic and boisterous group of shareholders. "We will do a third-party audit. In fact, we'll put a webcam on the mine. If anybody sees any children, please let us know," he joked.
