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THE ADS BY the Road Safety Authority over the last number of weeks have brought home the point – using a mobile phone when driving makes you four times more likely to crash.
But what about mobile phone use otherwise, when it’s just you and your (smart)phone?
Are mobile phones dangerous?
Mobile phones, and smartphones more so, emit radiation. This much we do know.
Whether they cause any long-term damage remains to be seen.
An Italian court came to the conclusion that they already have when, earlier this month, its Supreme Court ruled that there was a link between the mobile phone usage of retired businessman Innocente Marcolini (60), and his brain tumour.
Having used it for an average of six hours a day for 12 years, he argued that it had caused a benign brain tumour to develop close to where his phone touched his head.
We may call it a phone but, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) decided in mid-2011, it is a “possible carcinogenic”.
Fast-forward one year to July 2012, and the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decided to revise its mobile phone guidelines which outline what they deem to be the maximum safe levels of exposure to radiation.
Determining how dangerous it could be in the long-term remains to be seen. In the meantime, however, there are certain things that you can do to minimise exposure to it.
Proactive precautions
(CNN International/YouTube)
How you hold your phone can make a difference. The more you cover your phone, the more power it uses to find a signal. The more power, the more radiation.
Also, if you hold your phone directly against your face, chances are you’re going against the manufacturers guidelines. iPhone users, for example, are supposed to hold the phone at least 15mm away from the body.
If this sounds counter-intuitive or, depending on your phone habits, impossible, there’s a phone-cover which could help.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Richard Pearson of Pong Ireland – which sells the only mobile phone covers that have been scientifically proven to reduce the amount of radiation emitted – says that other countries adopt far stricter controls on mobile phones sales than Ireland.
In Israel, if you buy a mobile phone, it comes with a health warning. In France, they’ve banned the marketing of mobile phones to children. If you look in the safety manual that comes with your iPhone or your Blackberry, it will actually tell you not to have the phone in direct contact with your body.
“It’s impossible to stop radiation in a mobile phone without it becoming absolutely useless,” Pearson says. “It emits it [radiation] when it communicates with the cell tower.”
(pongcase/YouTube)
I wear a tinfoil hat!
I get a pain when I am talking to certain people on the phone, it stops as soon as I hang up. Strange that! ;)
62.99 is a bit steep for a phone cover. Granted if it reduces exposure to radiation then imitate worth it but its a shame is not a bit cheaper making it accessible to more people.
was looking at that too, bit steep alright
Well, it reduces exposure to imaginary evil radiation, but we have no evidence to suggest there is such a thing.
For half the price, I could sell you a similar cover to protect against phone goblins. ;)
That’s what they sad about smoking in the 50s
Just had a look at their site.
What’s the difference between health and “wellness”?
Dreadful article, people need to educate themselves! Phones do not emit ionising radiation, here is a handy chart http://xkcd.com/radiation/
Dreadful comment! The article never said that they emit ionising radiation – the video even explicitly says that it’s non-ionising radiation.
The “handy chart” is irrelevant at best, misleading at worst, because it only refers to ionising radiation and not the electromagnetic radiation that phones emit.
As best as we know electromagnetic radiation does not cause cancer so why have an article with a story eluding that it does, we are exposed to it everyday. Judges are not scientist or doctors, I would take Italian Judges rulings with a pinch of salt seeing they one just made a doctor pay compensation for “giving” a child autism by vaccinating him.
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/italian-court-reignites-mmr-vaccine-debate-after-award-over-child-with-autism-7858596.html
Also the chart does address the phone radiation
I honesty get a pain in my side of my head if I use a phone for more than 15 mins, move the phone to the other side and I’m ok again. Anyone else get that?
Don’t press it so hard against your head so
Just use the handsfree earphones provided and it saves ye ?62.99 on this gizmo and threats of radiation
What is your source for needing to hold an iPhone 15mm from body? I do not find that in Apple’s handbook. I do find it in an old Daily Mail article. What fact checking was done?
“When carrying iPhone, keep it 1.5 cm (5/8 inch) or more away from your body to ensure exposure levels remain at or below the maximum levels.”
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/iphone_4_important_product_information_guide.pdf
“supposed to hold the phone 15 mm away from the body..try making a phonecall on a busy street like that..also there’s lots of other tech that releases more radiation than a phone..articles like this are just scaremongering shite
With the price of smart phones, surely it’s not to much to force the manufacturers to ensure that they are completely safe to use
You clearly have no idea how phones work.
I’m disappointed in the Journal. This is an ad. It mentions one company, the sole quote directly to the Journal is from someone involved involved in this company, a sales pitch video for this company is embedded, as well as a hyperlink This is an ad. And there is no acknowledgement of that fact as would be required in a dead tree version.
There is no mention of any of the many scientific studies that contradict the need for any such ‘protection’ providing any sort of balance and no mention of any actual proof in the article of harm caused by mobiles in this manner. A court ruling is not proof. Citing advertising rules in France or laws in Israel is not proof.
I’ll admit, its the lack of disclaimer that has me so fired up. Its one thing to separate fools and their money, its another to pretend it’s called reporting.
Hi,
I can assure you that this is not an “ad”, as you put it. None of the quotes push the product. No payment, or incentive, was received.
You will also see that any negative comments which have been made about the phone covers remain. None have been deleted.
I don’t see the relevance?
62.99 is a bit steep for a phone cover. Granted if it reduces exposure to radiation then its worth it but its a shame is not a bit cheaper making it accessible to more people.
Sorry!tried to correct typo and reposted!
That’s ok, Nikki. We’ll get over it. Have a nice day.
@Nikki,
You’re hot, so you are forgiven !
ok because that has anything to do with this article…. or did you even read the above article???
Huh???!
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