Apple investors urge action to curb child gadget addiction

New York

Two Apple investors are urging the iPhone maker to take action to curb growing smartphone addiction among children.

Jana Partners LLC and the California State Teachers' Retirement System, or CalSTRS, said in open letter to Apple that the company must offer more choices and tools to help youngsters fight addiction to its gadgets.

The two investors collectively control $2 billion worth of Apple shares.

Among their proposals to Apple: establish an expert committee, including child development specialists; offer Apple's vast information to researchers; and enhance mobile device software so that parents have more options to protect the children's health.

The letter cited various studies and surveys on how the usage of smartphones and social media negatively affected children's mental and physical health. AP