Open letter highlights growing concern that Silicon Valley is damaging youth and urges new parental controls, child protection committee and release of dataTwo of the largest investors in Apple are urging the iPhone maker to take action against smartphone addiction among children over growing concerns about the effects of technology and social media on the youth. In an open letter to Apple on Monday, New York-based Jana Partners and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) said the firm must do more to help children fight addiction on its devices. The investors cited several studies on the negative effects on children’s mental and physical health caused by heavy usage of smartphones and social media. The open letter reflects growing concerns on the long-term impact of technology such as smartphones and social media on children. Technology firms are yet to publicly acknowledge the issues around children and their company’s creations, but even Silicon Valley heads have started to raise the alarm.

Source: The Guardian January 08, 2018 13:07 UTC