Risks Posed by Wireless Devices
In a growing concern, former Microsoft Canada President Frank Clegg has been advocating for increased public awareness and precautionary action regarding the deployment of 5G wireless technology.
Clegg serves on the Environmental Health Trust business advisory group and as the chief executive of Canadians for Safe Technology. His warnings are grounded in the belief that governments and industry have been too quick to adopt 5G without sufficient long-term safety testing.
The main concern about 5G is the RF radiation it emits, which the human body absorbs and accumulates. Some recent studies and advocacy groups, including Clegg, raise concerns about possible long-term, low-level non-thermal effects and call for more research and stricter limits.
The telecommunications industry is largely self-policing, leading to a "Wild West scenario". This is particularly concerning as the use of wireless devices, including 5G, has been linked to a variety of health problems such as cancer, damage to DNA, diabetes, infertility, headaches, insomnia, heart arrythmias and palpitations, fatigue, mental health problems like autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
However, it's important to note that current mainstream scientific reviews find no convincing evidence that 5G, when operated within international exposure limits, causes adverse human-health effects. National recent assessments, such as the UK Health Security Agency’s 2025 programme on 5G base-station exposures, report that measured exposure from 5G base stations is “well below the guidelines” and generally similar or lower than 4G exposures.
The World Health Organization and independent expert panels, such as ICNIRP, state that radio-frequency (RF) fields used by mobile networks are non-ionizing and, if exposures stay below guideline limits, there is no established adverse health effect from mobile base stations or handsets. These guidelines were updated to cover higher 5G frequencies.
Regulatory bodies continue to recommend compliance with ICNIRP/national exposure guidelines and routine monitoring of networks to ensure exposures remain well below limits. Researchers and some health advocates recommend targeted additional research on long-term, low-dose exposures, better exposure measurement in epidemiological studies (especially for children), and application of precautionary measures where policymakers choose to be cautious.
Despite the ongoing debate, Clegg's warnings serve as a call for increased public awareness and action to limit exposure to 5G radiation. As the widespread use of 5G technology continues to grow, it is crucial to stay informed about updates from health agencies like the WHO, ICNIRP, and national health agencies, as well as new high-quality epidemiological studies published in peer-reviewed journals.
- Frank Clegg, serving on the Environmental Health Trust business advisory group and as the chief executive of Canadians for Safe Technology, has been advocating for increased public awareness and precautionary action regarding 5G wireless technology due to concerns about its long-term safety.
- There are concerns about possible long-term, low-level non-thermal effects of 5G technology, as raised by some recent studies and advocacy groups, including Clegg.
- The telecommunications industry's self-policing nature raises concerns, especially as the use of wireless devices, including 5G, has been linked to various health problems like cancer, damage to DNA, diabetes, infertility, headaches, insomnia, heart arrythmias and palpitations, fatigue, mental health problems, and anxiety.
- Despite the ongoing debate, it is crucial for the public to stay informed about updates from health agencies like the World Health Organization, ICNIRP, and national health agencies, as well as new high-quality epidemiological studies published in peer-reviewed journals, in light of the growing use of 5G technology.
