Apple iPod Co-Inventor Tony Fadell on Combating Addictive Quality of Technology
Apple is responding after two major investors penned a letter to the tech giant, calling on it to combat smartphone addiction among kids. Apple announced it will make parental controls more robust. iPod co-inventor and one of the lead designers of the iPhone Tony Fadell explains ways people, and businesses can combat addictive quality of technology.
"Now we are dealing with the unintended consequences of this technology," said Fadell. "Today we do not have the information at our fingertips to allow us to see what our digital life looks like." Fadell explains its imperative for companies to give us our data back to us, to blend it with our personal data to better understand and improve the way we use technology.
In a statement to USA Today Tuesday Apple said, "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."
"This is an adults issue as well as a kids issue, so we have to think broader," says Fadell. "I'm sure they'll do the right thing. Hopefully Google and others do the same thing."
Apple's 8pm ET event Monday will revolve around its iMAC computer lineup of products which are expected to contain its new faster and three next-generation silicon chip.
President Joe Biden on Monday will sign a sweeping executive order to guide the development of artificial intelligence — requiring industry to develop safety and security standards, introducing new consumer protections and giving federal agencies an extensive to-do list to oversee the rapidly progressing technology.
Google's head of search testified at the company's trial Thursday as it started presenting its defense. The Justice Department in several states alleged that Google violated antitrust law to achieve its dominance in search.