Two activist Apple shareholders want the company to research the impact of iPhones on children

The hedge fund Jana Partners and California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), which together own around $2 billion of Apple stock, have published an open letter urging Apple to think differently about kids and the impact smartphones have on their childhood development, reports TechCrunch. The shareholders made the plea after working with child development experts to review research studies that found smartphones and other electronic devices had negative effects on a child’s sleep, concentration, emotional health, and empathy. They are urging Apple to take further steps, among them supporting research by giving researchers access to Apple’s analytics about how young users use the company’s devices.