In the end, it is a question of balance.
By AvantiKumar
13 Oct 2008
Waves of concern about potential health risks from Wi-Fi, similar to that expressed about possible cancer links to mobile phones, have been rising in Malaysia.
Recently, the Penang state government proudly announced plans to cover the island with connectivity, to make it a Wi-Fi "i"- land, using WiMax, powered by Malaysian connectivity firm, P1.
After some public debate, through blogs and letters to local newspapers, the Penang state government has now said they would halt the plan if sufficient evidence came to light that Wi-Fi is dangerous.
Among agencies, Penang is conferring with the government regulator, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), which says it has no contrary evidence to its position that there is no significant Wi-Fi health risk.
Human brain: mobile computer
Over the years, different reports have given different recommendations. The EU agency said a recent international scientific review concluded that the safety limits set for radio devices are "thousands of times too lenient". Another official British report said it could not rule out the risk of cancer from heavy usage of mobile phones.
The human brain is a miniature bio-electronic computer, said one scientist to me recently. It seems, the brain has more computing power than all manufactured devices on the planet.
Acceptable risks
Some say that a 24 by 7 blanket caused by Wi-Fi creates a "smog" that may scramble or have adverse effects on sensitive human brain matter. However, there is no clear-cut evidence, admits one European researcher I talked to last weekend.
In the end, it is a question of balance: a trade off against the business and social benefits of having an always-on Wi-Fi against possible health risks.
The jury may always be out on this one: but is there a case for acceptable risk?
AvantiKumar is the Malaysia correspondent for Fairfax tech brands and deputy editor of Computerworld Malaysia.
