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Mobile Phones
January 29, 2001
The latest from mobile land is that those who use cell-phones could be at
a tripled risk for eye cancer; that combined with other studies (like
those suggesting cell phones alter the brain's electrical activity or
increase its temperature) raise serious doubts about the necessity to
microwave one's head just to make a phone call.
So where's the outcry? The hard-hitting media reports on mobile use
danger? Dead silence. Exposes on the dangers of living near cell-phone or
PCS base stations/ antennas? Buried somewhere under the piles of ad
revenues it would seem.
Meanwhile the FDA is collaborating with the Cellular Telecommunications
Industry Association (CTIA) on CTIA-funded studies and surprisingly (yawn)
discovering no conclusive evidence linking mobile phone use to cancer. And
other "definitive" studies are exhibiting the same level of deeply
unbiased research integrity - remember that European report last year,
initially touted then ridiculed when it was discovered that its key
researchers (who adamantly insisted on the safety of mobile phone
radiofrequency radiation emissions) were actually mobile phone company
executives? Makes your brain fry.
Could be that the suits uber-lawyer Peter Angelos are bringing against
Vodafone and Verizon will prompt enough copycat claims to make regulators
wake up and smell the barbeque. Angelos, who recently won $4.2 billion in
damages from the tobacco industry, is representing brain cancer patients
or their families and suing on grounds that telcos knew about the dangers
of mobile phone radiation and didn't tell people. (Little warning labels
on the sides of handsets, anyone?)
But don't hold your breath for a massive settlement, let alone admission
of guilt, anytime soon - way too much money is riding for telcos to give
up that easily. Looking at the sums being invested in 3G licenses (which
will allow high-speed introduction of internet services via mobile phone
handset) not to mention the gargantuan predicted revenues, expect a long
protracted battle ... and a never-ending stream of pricey safety devices.
Take the latest: a radiation protection case designed when the inventor
"started to experience violent headaches and stress symptoms" from using
his cell phone. (Stress symptoms? Violent headaches? Dude, put down that
receiver!) Or coats with twin pockets lined with nickel woven polyester
shielding sewn over the heart area - one pocket for the personal mobile
and the other for the office mobile. Now, there's thinking.
Yes Virginia, it appears we've long since entered the age of m-commerce;
in the same way that the potential democratizing influence of the internet
has been subverted by the desire to target customer groups, personalize
services and sell, sell, sell our phones are now the royal road to our
pocket books. Advertisements that can fit into limited bandwidth are being
created, markets targeted, and ways to increase shareholder value via
mobile commerce slavishly pursued.
So what's a bit of gray matter when so much important business is at
stake? Why care about media responsibility when we can SMS, WAP or GPRS
instead?
Hmmm. Then again, maybe it's about time to put down that receiver.
Heather Wokusch is a freelance writer. She can be contacted at
womanrant@hotmail.com
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