France bans wi-fi in childcare facilities

[JohnnyJazz]

French National Assembly passed an amendment, as a result of two-year long negotiations, banning the use of wi-fi and cell phones in childare facilities across the country.

http://www.trt.net.tr/english/science-technology/2015/01/30/france-bans-wi-fi-in-childcare-facilities-155464

There was a fierce debate in an other thread ( http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/791155-wiring-ones-home-for-computer-network/ ). Should one wires one's house for internet or is the future wireless ? In the light of recent studies, would you take the risk to expose your family to a constant electromagnetic field that may cause cancer or would you rather invest in a few copper wires even if the risk is minimum ?

[Guest]

For me this story seems to be originated from GSMA (reliable source) report from July 2014 of "French Senate passes bill to add precautions to wireless networks and mobile phones", which is a similar, yet quite different story.

Later on The Natural news (unreliable source) made their own version of the news, 3 months ago, with alternated headline. "WiFi banned from pre-school childcare facilities in a bold move by French government" http://www.naturalnews.com/043695_electrosensitivity_wifi_French_government.htm

I could not find any reliable news source claiming that the WiFi is actually banned in pre-school facilities in France. If there is, it would be interesting to read as such an bad would be used as example case to other countries as well.

[Chicog]

I think Mobile phone towers are considered a greater risk than Wifi, although there have been lots of people over the years, including here, that claim Wifi gives them migraines.

[JohnnyJazz]

For me this story seems to be originated from GSMA (reliable source) report from July 2014 of "French Senate passes bill to add precautions to wireless networks and mobile phones", which is a similar, yet quite different story.

Later on The Natural news (unreliable source) made their own version of the news, 3 months ago, with alternated headline. "WiFi banned from pre-school childcare facilities in a bold move by French government" http://www.naturalnews.com/043695_electrosensitivity_wifi_French_government.htm

I could not find any reliable news source claiming that the WiFi is actually banned in pre-school facilities in France. If there is, it would be interesting to read as such an bad would be used as example case to other countries as well.

Here is a (reliable) French source : http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2015/01/30/01016-20150130ARTFIG00248-le-wifi-desormais-interdit-dans-les-creches.php

Roughly translated, it says that the French parliament voted last Thursday (Jan. 29, 2015) a "draft" law banning wi-fi from nursery school. For older kids, the law advised the schools to turn on the wi-fi signal only during related school activities.

There is a link to a 2013 study (https://www.anses.fr/fr/content/radiofr%C3%A9quences-t%C3%A9l%C3%A9phonie-mobile-et-technologies-sans-fils) showing no clear relation between cancer and electromagnetic signals but since the HIV tainted blood scandal the French have developped what they called the "principe de precaution", roughly translated as "better safe than sorry practice".

The law tries to strike a balance between protecting children from the potential negative effects of electromagnetic fields created by wireless networks while at the same time allowing them to take advantage of the benefit of new technologies.

Edited January 31, 2015 by JohnnyJazz

[JohnnyJazz]

Following the same precautionary principle wouldn't it be better to use as much as possible a wired network at home rather than to rely exclusively on wireless technology ?

[Guest]

Following the same precautionary principle wouldn't it be better to use as much as possible a wired network at home rather than to rely exclusively on wireless technology ?

I would say that we should use the wired network when it fits to the wanted purposes. This is simply because the wired network is often more reliable and everything what is going via wired network, saves the wireless bandwidth to something else.

We have been bombarded with all kind of electromagnetic waves for ages. We have Radio and TV towers, background radiation, radiation from radon etc. These have not been such big issues earlier, so why should WiFi or mobile signals be something very different?

Our main source of electromagnetic radiation is the Sun. We can even feel the radiation on our skins when we go outside. We don't feel the WiFi signals on our skins.

If there is a country which wishes to ban WiFi on certain places, it has probably more to do with local politics and less to do with factual science. I doubt that other countries will follow the example.

[JohnnyJazz]

Our main source of electromagnetic radiation is the Sun. We can even feel the radiation on our skins when we go outside. We don't feel the WiFi signals on our skins.

It's a good example. It's only recently that we learned to protect ourselves against excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun (skin cancer).

Same for second hand smoke. There too powerfull business lobbies tried to stop scientific researches and legislation to curb smoking.

With wireless communication alternative exist, why take the risk ?

[orchidlady]

My first thought when I read the headlines on TV home page was that the French were concerned that childcare providers would be neglecting the children placed in their care by playing with their phones--thus the reason for the ban--I thought how great ...only to be disappointed at the real reason.

[JohnnyJazz]

An other study that makes me happy to have hard wired my house

A Danish science experiment by a group of 9th-graders has gained worldwide interest and may have us rethinking the proliferation of wireless devices in our homes.

Six trays containing the seeds of a garden cress herb were placed in a room without a WiFi router, and six trays were placed in a different room and next to two WiFi routers. During the 12 days of the experiment, the seeds in the six trays away from the WiFi routers grew normally, while the seeds next to the routers did not. In fact, the project photos show that many of the seeds placed near the routers turned brown and died.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/05/can-wifi-signals-stunt-plant-growth/

http://www.dr.dk/Nyheder/Indland/2013/05/16/131324.htm