Activist Investors Call on Apple to Address Youth Phone Addiction
Apple under fire after two Apple investors urged the company to step up and play a bigger role in managing smartphone overuse and addiction. David Benoit, Activism Reporter at The Wall Street Journal, was with us to discuss why Jana Partners has decided to push Apple to develop tools and research the effects of smartphone overuse by young people.
Benoit says the investors aren’t saying its necessarily Apple’s responsibility to monitor phone usage. Instead, he thinks they believe that Apple could play an important role in acknowledging that they aren’t sure what the impact of all this phone usage will be, but could score points by giving parents the option to monitor usage.
Activist investors typically focus on things like buybacks and acquisitions. Benoit says this move by Jana Partners to take a stance on corporate responsibility is very different. He thinks following Jana's advice could help protect Apple from potential backlash on teen iPhone usage. In addition, Benoit says goodwill could help drive future sales if consumers feel Apple made a phone that is safe for kids.
John Honchariw, CEO and founder of Companion, joined Cheddar News to discuss the first innovative device solely designed to entertain, engage and have fun with your dog all day long. "What we aspire to as a company is to be a supplement to the relationship you have with your dog," he said.
Gusto, which provides cloud-based payroll benefits and HR management software, released its new graduates report with insights into the top industries and regions for this key demographic. Luke Pardue, economist at Gusto, joined Cheddar News to discuss the report's findings and dissect job prospects.
Sam Burns, chief strategist at Mill Street Research, joined Cheddar News to discuss a volatile trading week on Wall Street as the debt ceiling debate continues ahead of the June 1 deadline.
Elon Musk confirmed that former NBC ad executive Linda Yaccarino will be Twitter's next chief executive while Musk will serve as chief technology officer and executive chair. Cheddar News breaks down the new moves.