Learn About EMFs

by Don Maisch

The paper “Mobile Phone Use: its time to take precautions”, published in the April 2001 issue of the Journal of the Australasian College of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine by this author, examined what was known about the possible hazards of mobile phone use up to that date. (1) At first, this subject may not seem relevant to children’s lives until it is realised that today the fastest growing group of mobile phone users are children and young people. This growth is actively encouraged by professional advertising campaigns from the mobile phone industry, extolling how indispensable the phones are to their life styles.

Case History: Walt Disney Co.

An unfortunate example of how youth are deliberately being targeted was investigated by the New York based technical newsletter Microwave News. In the May/June 2002 issue it was reported that in November 2005, just as ABC News was about to air a TV program expressing concern over the use of cell phones by children, the Walt Disney Co. announced that it would no longer allow its cartoon characters to be used to market mobile phones. ABC is a subsidiary of Disney. A Disney spokesperson said at the time that the new policy would remain in effect “until there is reliable evidence establishing the absence of any [health] risks,” and that “The well-being of our customers is our first priority.” (2)

At first this seems like a responsible position by Disney but it was exposed as a sham in the July/August issue of Microwave News:

“Disney and Motorola are teaming up to tap the 6 -to- 12 year-old customer electronics market. They will roll out the first products — a two-way radio and a 2.45 GHz cordless phone — in the fall, with others to follow next year. Motorola states that the walkie-talkies will have a range of up to two miles. And in late July, Disney announced that it is launching a service which will allow customers in Taiwan to download images of Mickey, Donald and Goofy onto their phone screens. In 2005, Disney pledged not to licence its characters for use on cell phones “until there is reliable evidence establishing the absence of any [health] risks.” Disney recently reaffirmed this commitment to Microwave News.”(3)

The only conclusion one can make here is that somehow, while all the scientists doing research on mobile phone health effects cannot yet come up with the goods on health risks, Disney has found “reliable evidence establishing the absence of any [health] risks”. Fortunate news for Disney for now they can proceed with their new telecommunications venture, in partnership with the paragon of truly independent research, MOTOROLA.

This constitutes a serious conflict of interest if Motorola is providing ‘evidence of safety’ while at the same entering into a major capital venture with Disney.

From: www.latitudes.org