Germany warns against Wi-Fi

The ongoing debate regarding the potential health risks associated with Wi-Fi signals has taken yet another controversial turn this week with the German Environment Ministry warning the country’s populace against using the wireless technology.

Citing that full health and safety research has yet to be carried out on Wi-Fi emissions, which have already attracted debate in the UK regarding their similarities to mobile phones, the German government has advised people to steer clear of Wi-Fi due to the risk of potential health damage.

More pointedly, German authorities have suggested that wireless users should ensure that their Wi-Fi exposure is kept to a bare minimum by making a concerted effort to utilise "conventional wired connections," adding that it is "actively informing people" on the best ways to reduce their amount of personal exposure.

Florian Emerich of Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation has said that Wi-Fi caution should certainly be exercised based on it being "a new technology and all the research into its health effects has not been carried out."

Beyond the country’s concerns over the possible effects of Wi-Fi usage and the lack of convincing health-based research, the German government (Bundestag) has also warned its population against what it refers to as "electrosmog" produced by a variety of other consumer electronic devices including baby monitors, and electric blankets. It has also advised people to avoid using mobile phone handsets in favour of conventional landline connections.

A report in the Independent suggests that the German government’s standpoint vindicates its own views on Wi-Fi and will provide significant weight to the UK’s Health Protection Agency and its chairman Sir William Stewart as they continue the drive to promote caution in the use of mobile phones while also calling for an official governmental review into the health effects of Wi-Fi – specifically throughout wireless networks placed in UK schools.

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