Mobile phone fact check: How dangerous is smartphone radiation?

Based on current research, even considering 5G expansion, there is hardly any cause for concern about smartphone radiation. — dpa

We keep few things as close to our bodies as our smartphones. But can their radio waves lead to brain tumours or infertility?

The ongoing debate about the health effects of mobile phone radiation has been given new life by the development of 5G networks. German consumer testing non-profit Stiftung Warentest has reviewed the situation on mobile radio and health, speaking with many experts. Their conclusion: Based on current research, even considering 5G expansion, there is hardly any cause for concern.

But if you’d like to take precautionary measures, you can. According to Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), protective measures are particularly important for children, because comparatively few studies on health consequences are available.

> Watch your reception: Mobile phones adapt their transmission power to the local conditions. The weaker the mobile network, the more the devices have to transmit. Those who want to protect themselves should avoid making calls with poor reception, such as on trains, in cars without external antennas or in underserved areas.

> Go hands free: The intensity of electromagnetic fields decreases rapidly with distance. According to the experts, even a few centimetres make a huge difference, so it’s advisable to use a headset or speakerphone.

> Check the SAR values: SAR stands for Specific Absorption Rate, the amount of energy absorbed by the nearby body tissue from the mobile phone transmitting at maximum power. The current SAR limit is two watts per kilogram. Manufacturers determine the SAR value for each mobile phone model using a standardised test. However, mobile phones rarely function at this level, so the SAR value says little about the actual radiation exposure in everyday life. – dpa