The concerns raised by the
BBC TV Panorama report on the possible dangers of Wi-Fi in
schools is just the latest manifestation of society's simultaneous
enthusiasm for and fear of new technology.
There will always be individuals at extremes of the spectrum -
those of the Jeremy Clarkson tendency, who scorn any health and
safety fears, and those who believe that every technological
advance will wreak mayhem on the physical or moral fibre of the
populace.
Certainly few of us can resist a smirk at the fears of those in
days gone by - how silly that the Victorians should insist on the
man with the red flag walking in front of motor cars, especially
when the urban speed limit was 2mph.
But those Victorian concerns don't seem quite so absurd when we
remember that the death or maiming of thousands of people in the UK
every year is the price we pay for the convenience of the car.
Wireless internet in schools and businesses also offers the lure
of immense convenience, and the potential dangers are a lot less
obvious than a large lump of motorised metal heading your way.
Councils planning to deploy wireless city networks have called
for the government to back research into the health issues around
Wi-Fi. However, such research should not be seen as a quick fix to
allay public fears before launching a Wi-Fi stampede.
There are enough public health disasters from the past, such as
asbestosis and Thalidomide, to provide warnings when implementing
schemes that override individual choice.
As a society, we are addicted to our mobiles and the web, but
that doesn't mean that legitimate concerns over our children's
health should be brushed aside in the name of progress.
Norfolk public and firms embrace free Wi-Fi access >>
Panorama: a warning signal >>
The Panorama transcript >>
Health Protection Agency: Wi-Fi >>
The Stewart Inquiry: mobile
phones >>
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