Apple Slammed For Product Impact On Young, Responds To Criticism

Apple is not ignoring calls to take more responsibly for the negative effects of its products and services on young users.

“We have new features and enhancements planned for the future, to add functionality and make these tools even more robust,” the tech titan said in a statement released on Tuesday.

Earlier this week, Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System issued an open letter to Apple asking the company to take specific actions to reduce potential harm to youngsters.

“There is a clear need for Apple to offer parents more choices and tools to help them ensure that young consumers are using your products in an optimal manner,” the investors explained.

Together, Jana Partners and CalSTRS control about $2 billion in Apple shares.

In its defense, Apple insists it has taken care to safeguard its gadgets and services for younger consumers.

“Apple has always looked out for kids, and we work hard to create powerful products that inspire, entertain and educate children, while also helping parents protect them online,” the company said on Tuesday.

“We lead the industry by offering intuitive parental controls built right into the operating system,” it noted. “With today’s iOS devices, parents have the ability to control and restrict content, including apps, movies, websites, songs and books, as well as cellular data, password settings and other features.”

Yet, a growing body of research suggests that mobile technology is indeed interfering with children's lives.    

One recently study -- conducted by the Center on Media and Child Health and the University of Alberta -- found that 67% of surveyed teachers observed that the number of students who are negatively distracted by digital technologies in the classroom is growing. In addition, 75% said students’ ability to focus on educational tasks has decreased.

Tech companies are increasingly willing to broach the possibility that their products and services are harmful to users. At least among “passive” users, Facebook recently admitted it might not be the healthiest pastime.

Citing a body of independent and internal research, as well as expert opinion, Facebook recently said that people who spend a lot of time passively consuming information (on Facebook’s News Feed, for instance) report feeling worse afterward.

To address the issue, Facebook recently made several changes to its News Feed to provide more opportunities for “meaningful” interactions, while reducing passive consumption of low-quality content.

Limiting users’ access to Apple’s products and services might not seem like a good business decision for investors. However, Jana Partners and CalSTRS argued earlier this week that considering users’ well-being is ultimately the best thing for Apple’s bottom-line.

“Addressing this issue now will enhance long-term value for all shareholders, by creating more choices and options for your customers today and helping to protect the next generation of leaders, innovators, and customers tomorrow,” they suggested.

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