| |
|
Authority Recommends Restricting Childrens Use of
MobilesFrom: Uutiset01/07/09 |
| |
|
| |
The Radiation and
Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) has recommended
restricting the use of mobile phones by children.
The Authority says radiation from mobile phones could
pose a health risk but that details of possible side
effects remain unclear.
Children tend to use mobiles for phone calls a lot more
than adults, who started using them over a decade ago.
STUK says the degree of risk from use cannot be fully
assessed for several decades. In addition, a child's
brain does not fully develop until adulthood.
The authority says the use of mobiles can be restricted
by encouraging children to send SMS messages rather than
making calls. Parents can restrict the number and
duration of calls as well as encourage the use of
handsfree units. It adds that speaking in areas with
poor reception such as in cars or on trains causes
phones to use more power and should be avoided.
STUK does not favour any prohibition of mobile phone use
by children noting that a mobile is a good way of
keeping in touch with parents.
Mobile Phones May Disrupt Pacemakers
The authority also reminds that mobile phones can
interfere with pacemakers. Usually such disruptions are
harmless, but use of mobiels with by persons using
pacemakers can result in unpleasant sensations such as
heart palpitations. Use of mobiles with pacemakers
equipped with defibrillators may also cause harmful
electrical pulses in the heart.
Pacemaker patients many safely use mobile phones
provided that phones are at least 20 centimetres away
from their implants. In practice this means that when
patients use hands-free accessories, they should not
keep their mobiles in their breast pockets.
Nokia: STUK Recommendation Not Based on Latest Research
The STUK recommendations don't ring true for Finnish
mobile phone giant Nokia. The phone manufacturer says
the STUK recommendation is not based on the latest
scientific findings.
Nokia says health concerns do not even require children
to use hands-free equipment. However, it concedes that
it's up to parents to decide what's in the best interest
of their own children.
Nokia Director Mark Durrant told YLE that he believes
the STUK recommendation to be a precautionary measure.
Nokia speculated that the Authority wanted to press for
the prudent use of mobile phones, although new
scientific evidence has found no danger related to
mobile phone usage.
Beyond that, the mobile phone company would not comment
any further, saying that the debate is an issue for the
entire mobile phone industry, and not just for Nokia. |
| |
 |
| |
|
