Intel is a U.S.-based semiconductor giant whose processors and systems power everything from AI to military infrastructure. It is a key boycott target due to its contract with Israel’s Ministry of Defense and its role in surveillance technologies used to monitor and control Palestinians.
The company has also faced scrutiny for supply chain abuse, including forced labor risks linked to Xinjiang. Intel removed language condemning Uyghur detention camps under pressure from Chinese authorities. It has returned over $27 million to workers charged illegal recruitment fees and has been fined for wage, health, and environmental violations across multiple jurisdictions.
Intel is rated High Impact because it underpins the digital backbone of apartheid. Its server infrastructure supports Israeli military and civic control systems, tools used to enforce segregation, movement bans, and surveillance over Palestinian populations.
Beyond Israel, Intel’s global footprint extends into documented labor abuses, forced labor risk zones like Xinjiang, and environmental violations. The company has repeatedly prioritized market survival, especially in politically sensitive regions, over ethical labor sourcing and human rights compliance.
This places Intel in the same triage category as other state-aligned tech providers like HP and Dell, companies that actively build the infrastructure of oppression. Consumer and institutional boycotts are not symbolic but strategic: they target the technology that powers apartheid systems.