Recent rumours and conspiracies about the 5G network and whether they are actually true are discussed here. Rumours which have gone viral on social media platforms include “5G spreads COVID-19”, “5G shouldn’t be deployed”, “5G making people sick”, and many more.
Governments and regulatory bodies are responsible for monitoring the compliance of these communication technologies for the welfare of society and the economy.
A new wave of discussions has come with the popularity of mobile communications systems about the adverse health effects caused due to radiofrequency exposure. New communication technologies are always accused of being harmful, but all the claims die out after a new technology or generation is about to be launched.
The advent of mobile and wireless technologies to 5G has reawakened the electromagnetic fields exposure concerns on a much bigger scale at this time. Rumours in social media are spreading perhaps like wildfire. After studying fake news linking fifth-generation technology (5G) to COVID-19 and pseudoscience, people become vulnerable. Some detached members of the scientific community and engineers who stand on pseudoscience have amplified some of these claims, which are even more worrying.
In this article, we will see the myths of 5G and how to end these myths. It has become more important than ever to refute these claims because some individuals have started damaging mobile base stations and nagging telecom workers. Telecommunication networks should be protected as they have proven crucial in developing the global economy, including healthcare services.
Contents
Myths and fear about 5G
Here is the list of 5G fears, truths, and myths. These are as follows:
5G radiation is harmful
Like other previous generations of mobile systems, 5G also operates on the radio frequency spectrum. Radiofrequency spectrum is an extensive range of frequencies starting from a few kHz to 300 GHz. Mobile and wireless communication systems use radio frequencies known as RF. RF is non-ionized radiation that does not have enough energy to break tightly bound electrons but can excite those electrons into high-energy states. This energy is then converted into heat energy. That is why heating effects examine the health risks of exposure to radiofrequency radiation.
It is still not justified that the frequencies of 5G will cause heating effects in the body, and researchers are busy carrying out various research over it. Therefore it would not be just to understand that 5G radiation is harmful.
5G causes tissue Heating
According to WHO, mobile phones use frequencies of 1.8 to 2.2 GHz that can cause tissue heating.
Due to tissue heating, the temperature of the brain and the body may increase slightly, which occurs when the skin absorbs electromagnetic energy.
The FCC i.e., The Federal Communications Commission, has stated that people are exposed to very low frequencies of electromagnetic fields, and tissue heating is considered minimal and short-term.
Therefore more research is going on to determine how 5G will affect human tissue. A health risk assessment is being carried out by WHO to determine the health risk from exposure to radio frequencies, covering the frequency range of 5G. The report of this assessment will be published by 2022.
5G affects cognitive function
People believe that their cognitive function will get affected by the deployment of 5G. Some researchers examined that using a mobile phone for at least 90 minutes can cause attention difficulties, but later on, some more research was done in which it was found that there is no solid link between EMF and cognitive function.
5G Can Result in Pandemics
Many social media users have been sharing in their posts that 5G is responsible for making people sick, not the coronavirus. Some rumours claim that Wuhan became the first city of China for the outbreak of coronavirus because this was the first city of China to use 5G wireless technology. Likewise, various myths about 5G are claimed by the people.
This claim that 5G can result in pandemics is completely false, and this is just a rumour that has gone viral on social media. But many health experts have made it clear that this news is not true and is entirely baseless.
There is no such credible evidence and reasoned argument to claim the linking of fifth-generation technology( 5G ) to COVID-19.
There is no one to regulate and control 5G
It is one of the myths of 5G that there is no one to regulate and control 5G. But this can be debunked easily. ITU stands for International Telecommunications System, is a United Nation organisation that focuses on regulating radio spectrum frequencies and developing technical standards. Various national and regional regulatory bodies of telecommunications look over the mobile network operations according to laid down guidelines and rules. Moreover ICNIRP, ICT, European council and all mobile network operators committed to set out minimum health and safety requirements regarding RF-EMF exposure based on certain limits.
There is no mechanism to reduce exposure to 5G radiation.
Several international research projects have focused on reducing exposure from mobile systems and finding their solutions, and these are World Health Organisation’s International EMF Project, LEXNET, and many more. So, there is no mechanism to reduce 5G radiation is not true.
Benefits of 5G
5G has lots of benefits. It gives faster network speed, making the uploading and downloading speed faster. The new 5 G technology comes with low latency and high bandwidth. This faster network will help the world grow with even more speed. All the sectors such as health care, education, and other sectors will be highly benefited from the advent of this technology. As a user, you will get a great experience watching online content, downloading different apps and games, and uploading content on social media and other places.
As of now, some cities have access to this 5G technology. But India is still in a testing phase, and recent news suggests that in 2022 all the people of metro cities of India will be able to use the services of 5G.
Final verdict
These are some of the myths and truths of 5G. It is seen that there is no such evidence found that can prove that mobile and other radio technologies can cause adverse health effects in the human body. It is safe to conclude that the radiation levels in our environment are optimum and will be regulated cautiously in the future
Hey there! I’m Kuldeep Kumar, and tech is my jam. From the mind-blowing world of AI to the thrilling battlegrounds of cybersecurity, I love exploring every corner of this amazing world. Gadgets? I geek out over them. Hidden software tricks? Bring ’em on! I explain it all in clear, bite-sized chunks, laced with a touch of humor to keep things sparky. So, join me on this tech adventure, and let’s demystify the wonders of technology, one blog post at a time.