The recent Panorama documentary that focused on the use of Wi-Fi networks in schools discussed the ‘risk’ of EMF exposure causing childhood cancer. The prospect of a new technology causing cancer in children is harrowing, serious...yet is it real?

Following on from the broadcast of this documentary the BBC Editorial Complaints Unit was engaged and found that Panorama had claimed in the programme that Wi-Fi creates three times as much radiation as mobile phone masts, and this is "misleading".

Dr Ben Goldacre, a doctor who runs the Bad Science website, stated that the Panorama programme makers had made melodramatic, misleading television instead of an informed documentary.

The way in which the documentary presented the information may have been unjust, but the broadcast will ensure this topic remains at the forefront of people’s minds, and rightly so if there is real reason for us to link Wireless technology to cancer.

In 2002 a study was conducted by UK Childhood Cancer Study (UKCCS) that examined the relationship between childhood cancer and exposure to residential electrical fields. This study provided no support for the hypothesis that residential exposure to extremely low frequency electric fields is associated with childhood cancer either by disease, category, or in total.

The HPA (Health Protection Agency) states on their website: “There is no consistent evidence to date that Wi-Fi and WLANs adversely affect the health of the general population. The signals are very low power, typically 0.1 watt (100 milliwatts) in both the computer and the router, and the results so far show exposures are well within internationally accepted guidelines.”

The subject of EMF health risks has gained much attention from the media and the public eye. This is to be expected: who wouldn’t be concerned about a new technology ‘potentially’ causing cancer? If there was irrefutable scientific evidence that Wireless technology did have detrimental effects on health then there would be widespread uproar...but as illustrated in these studies, there isn’t any such evidence.

Let’s take a look back, The 20th Century saw the invention of the light bulb and people were worried as to the health effects it would have: no adverse health effects ensued and the light bulb was fully integrated into everyday life...can you imagine our lives now without the light bulb?! It was not so long ago that there was a media frenzy over the dangers of the microwave...do we now have any conclusive evidence that illustrates that the media frenzy created around this technology had foundation? No. How many people now have microwaves as well as lightbulbs in their home?

Why are concerns for Wireless technology only being so openly discussed now? Wireless technology was invented in 1991: that’s 17 years ago. Sure it would have taken some time to develop the technology into a commercial/y deployable solution, but today, across the UK almost every home has its own Wi-Fi network, the number of public area Wi-Fi networks is growing at a substantial rate…why are we only just hearing about the ‘possible’ health risks involved? Perhaps because right now it’s topical and not too familiar. Uncertainty sometimes leads people to leap to unproven conclusions when presented with emotive information.

It is not surprising that people have concerns, but there really is no firm scientific evidence to encourage these worries, but maybe that is the problem itself. If we knew the hard facts and any documented health risks that we should be aware of when using Wireless technology then maybe people would feel more comfortable or accepting. “Commonly what happens when you have inconclusive evidence, the level of risk can be perceived as being even higher than a risk that has been quantified by science.” (Establishing a Dialogue on Risks from Electromagnetic Fields, World Health Organisation, 2002)

Let’s step away from the Wireless discussion and think about the uncertainties we manage in everyday life; crossing the road, driving the car, saying ‘I do’. We do not know what the outcome or effects will be from these actions but we have calculated ideas as to what they could be…why? Because we have been doing these things for as long as we can remember - these practices and behaviours are nothing new, and because of that we are comfortable with the eventualities of these actions.

Maybe that’s why we are concerned about the use of Wi-Fi -  not because of the substantiated, conclusive, scientific evidence of detrimental effects on our health but because there are no such studies. It’s simply human nature.

But let’s understand it for what it is:  the fear of the unknown. We need to rationalise that and recognise it. Until we have information that contradicts the study conducted by UK Childhood Cancer Study (UKCCS) that found no support for the hypothesis; that residential exposure to extremely low frequency electric fields is associated with childhood cancer either by disease, category, or in total, or other studies that have firmly proved that Wireless technology has detrimental effects on public health, let’s monitor and manage the situation.

Wireless technology provides modern society  with a wealth of opportunities. It provides mobility, enhanced flexibility and communication, and personal empowerment to the user without realm restriction. Wireless can be used within the home, office and public space environment: this connectivity presents real possibilities.

Wireless technology has been embraced by all aspects of society with tangible benefits:  

In 2005 Westminster Council undertook a project to integrate Wi-Fi technology into all areas of the council's responsibilities, providing access for remote workers, linking CCTV and microphones to council headquarters and providing hotspots for consumers.

"The Wireless City will benefit those who live and work in Westminster by reducing crime and disorder, improving the delivery and effectiveness of council services and enabling us to maintain low tax through significant cost savings.”
Clive Ansell, BT London Regional Director.

In the commercial industry hotels provide Internet connectivity as a standard offering these days. People expect to be able to get online when they need to. Wireless technology is a fantastic solution for hotels with cabling restrictions, and also popular with guests as it allows guests to roam around the property as opposed to being hardwired to a desk port. “Without doubt we have had a number of conferences that we would not have had without Internet access, it’s fast becoming something every hotel needs to offer.”
John Sixsmith, Historic Sussex Hotels Financial Director

A further study by Sara Price and Yvonne Rogers of the Cognitive and Computer Sciences Department of the University of Sussex explored ‘the learning benefits of interacting in digitally-augmented physical spaces, 2003.’ They found that “the advent of wireless and pervasive technologies offers many opportunities for designing learning experiences that encourage children to explore, initiate and reflect. Novel forms of interactions can be developed, that exploit the ‘physical’ and the ‘digital’ in a diversity of ways that move beyond the constrained ‘desktop’ genre of interactions.”

Wireless technology provides opportunity in many areas of modern society  -  do we want to turn our back on these because of unsubstantiated health risk claims? I’m all for understanding the risks but let’s also recognise the facts. “...There is no consistent evidence to date that Wi-Fi and WLANS adversely affect the health of the general population.” (HPA) This reference to general population very importantly also includes children as a demographic.

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