(CNN) -- It is unfortunate that Mike Daisey lied about Apple's labor practices on "This American Life" by fabricating some harrowing details about the suffering of workers in China who make iPads and iPhones. But this revelation should not divert attention away from the very real, pressing issue of labor abuses in China. The public radio episode that aired Daisey's falsified account helped set in motion a series of news reports and close scrutiny from the media, forcing Apple to acknowledge that conditions in its supplier factories can be improved and that workers should be treated better. Now, because of Daisey's lies, some people might dismiss the problem of China's labor abuses. They should not.
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Mike Daisey lied on "This American Life" about Apple's labor practices in China
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Yang Su and Xin He: Daisey shouldn't have lied, but his bigger point is true
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They say labor abuse in China is a serious, widespread problem
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Su and He: If foreign-invested companies improve, it will help the Chinese labor market
In this context, the spotlight on @placeholder's labor problem raised by Daisey and others is important.