Big time Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) investors have now called the tech giant to look into developing software that limits a child’s time they can use a smartphone, on a daily basis. Two large investment groups that made the call currently hold around $2 billion USD of Apple’s stock between the two groups.
There has been a growing epidemic of smartphone addiction among children and teens, as parents have begun buying smartphones for their kids at a younger age or allowing them to use their own. The California State Teachers’ Retirement System, and Jana Partners LLC, wrote an open letter to the company today stating that the company should offer more choices to help children fight the addiction they currently have to its devices.
The letter reads:
“There is a developing consensus around the world including Silicon Valley that the potential long-term consequences of new technologies need to be factored in at the outset, and no company can outsource that responsibility. Apple can play a defining role in signaling to the industry that paying special attention to the health and development of the next generation is both good business and the right thing to do.”
The groups’ potential ideas for Apple include: Enhance mobile device software so that parents have the option to protect their child’s health, offer data to researchers, and establish a committee to look into the problem including child development specialists.
This letter also presented various studies on how the heavy usage of these digital phones and social media negatively affects a child’s physical and mental health. These companies explained that cell phones often distract students in the classroom, which inhibits their learning and growth as a human. Also, the use of social media increases higher risks of depression and suicide among many children and teens.
The investors call and group’s letter reflects a growing concern among individuals around the world and what potential long-term impact this could have on children who are subjected to phones at an early age.
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