Health and Safety Information 161
Because there are no known risks from exposure to RF
emissions from cell phones, there is no reason to believe that
hands-free kits reduce risks. Hands-free kits can be used for
convenience and comfort. They are also required by law in
many states if you want to use your phone while driving.
Cell Phone Accessories that Claim to Shield the Head
from RF Radiation
Because there are no known risks from exposure to RF
emissions from cell phones, there is no reason to believe that
accessories which claim to shield the head from those
emissions reduce risks. Some products that claim to shield
the user from RF absorption use special phone cases, while
others involve nothing more than a metallic accessory
attached to the phone. Studies have shown that these
products generally do not work as advertised. Unlike
“hands-free” kits, these so-called “shields” may interfere
with proper operation of the phone. The phone may be forced
to boost its power to compensate, leading to an increase in
RF absorption.
Children and Cell Phones
The scientific evidence does not show a danger to any users
of cell phones from RF exposure, including children and
teenagers. The steps adults can take to reduce RF exposure
apply to children and teenagers as well.
•
Reduce the amount of time spent on the cell phone;
•
Use speaker mode or a headset to place more distance between
the head and the cell phone.
Some groups sponsored by other national governments have
advised that children be discouraged from using cell phones
at all. For example, The Stewart Report from the United
Kingdom made such a recommendation in December 2000.
In this report, a group of independent experts noted that no
evidence exists that using a cell phone causes brain tumors
or other ill effects. Their recommendation to limit cell phone
use by children was strictly precautionary; it was not based
on scientific evidence that any health hazard exists.
Additional information on the safety of RF exposures from
various sources can be obtained from the following
organizations (updated 10/1/2010):
•
FCC RF Safety Program:
http://www.fcc.gov/oet/rfsafety/
.
