BBC Online continued to perpatuate a myth of largely their own making last week, by printing a one-sided and inaccurate report about wifi in Welsh schools. It was so bad, I filled in an official complaint form and – result! – here’s the reply…
Thank you for your e-mail.
There is obviously controversy and disagreement about the possible health effects of wi-fi and we have decided to make some alterations to the article to give a more accurate picture of this debate.
The second sentence in the article originally read: “Wi-fi allows cable-free web access, but some scientists fear it emits radiation similar to mobile masts, which have been linked to cancer.”
It now says, “Wi-fi allows cable-free web access, but there is controversy about its possible effects on health”.
We have also added the following paragraphs:
“The Professional Association of Teachers has previously asked for an inquiry into safety concerns surrounding wi-fi, while the Association of School and College Leaders has also called for clarification.But Schools Minister Kevin Brennan has said: “The welfare and safety of children and staff in school is absolutely paramount – which is why we have already addressed concerns covering wireless computer networks and asbestos. The Health Protection Agency has consistently advised that it does not consider there to be a problem with the safety of wi-fi.”
You also refer in your e-mail to a direct quote from councillor Ieuan Jones: “The dangers of these wi-fi connections are possibly along the lines of using hand-held mobile phones.”
Clearly, this is the councillor’s opinion, which we feel should remain in the article. Also, in a report earlier this month, the UK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme (MTHRP) said that while short-term adverse effects to brain and cell function were ruled out, the long-term cancer risk of mobile phone use could not be excluded.
Once again, thank you for your interest,
Yours sincerely,
Ruth Sully
Editor Newsgathering Wales
(I did bring up the study she mentions in my email to them – and acknowledged that they hadn’t excluded long-term risk. Of course, as I pointed out this is only because we haven’t had mobile phones for long enough…)
