martyWe’re sure many of us have received forwarded emails, text messages, or articles that warn us about the radiation emitted by our smartphones, and how we shouldn’t sleep it with too close to our faces, how we shouldn’t use it while charging, and so on. Whether or not you believe those claims is up to you, but as far as the city of Berkeley, California is concerned, they believe customers have the “right to know”.The city council has recently voted to pass a cellphone “right to know law” which basically makes it a requirement for cellphone retailers to put up a notice warning customers about potential radiation exposure, and that phones should be kept a certain distance away from the body which are considered safe levels.
According to the proposed warning it reads, “If you carry or use your phone in a pants or shirt pocket or tucked into a bra when the phone is ON and connected to a wireless network, you may exceed the federal guidelines for exposure to RF [radio frequency] radiation.” Retailers are expected to comply and will be prohibited from selling phones that do not have the warning, “This potential risk is greater for children. Refer to the instructions in your phone or user manual for information about how to use your phone safely.”
Unsurprisingly this proposal is met with resistance, particularly from those in the mobile industry. In a letter sent to council members from Gerard Keegan who is with the CITA, he seems to suggest that such messages could be misleading. “The forced speech is misleading and alarmist because it would cause consumers to take away the message that cell phones are dangerous and can cause breast, testicular, or other cancers.”
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