By Saswat Pattanayak

I have been wondering for some time now, about the sudden loss of interest in general discussion about mobile phones and their harmful effects. Around the time I was in my college and grew fascination for mobile phones, well meaning family and friends cautioned me against using them much. It appeared from research then as they appeared in the press that cellular radiations had multiple effects, not any of them especially good.

One could also compare easy notes with the way television screen flickered and radio waves made screeching noises. Usage of phones could actually cause fire at petrol pumps (gas stations) as well.

Over the time, what has consistently happened are the following:

a. The negative reports in the media have either drastically reduced or completely vanished
b. Television screens are made more resilient (or whatever is the term) to be affected by radiations
c. Loss of lives is not any more associated with mobile phones

This has taken place vis-à-vis the following:

a. The consolidation of cellular phone industry, in the hands of monopolies
b. The telecommunications sector emerging as the most powerful branch of economy (also in the name of digitalizing it&hellip
c. Cheaper prices of cell phone, minute usages (in many third world countries, incoming calls are free 24/7 …!) prompting more and more people to use cell phones.

A digital culture is merely an excuse. And I am sure we all shall live to pay the price for this sooner or later. In their quest to maximize profits, the social responsibility role of the telecom firms has gone for a huge toss. It was the same with tobacco and drink till they put a word of caution (injurious or underage signs). Unfortunately even after we know of the harmful effects, the smoke and drink joints get away with just the surgeon’s warning.

And what’s more, the surgeon’s warnings are so generic (with pages of texts) used for each drug, that people hardly take cigarettes as seriously as they should (after all if every over the counter drug carries even larger warnings, what harm can one liner tobacco product do?)
But cell phones do not even carry a warning.

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Tags: Saswat, Technology, Media, Capitalism