CELL PHONES: BOON OR BANE

“The question is, do you want to play Russian roulette with your brain?” said
Devra Lee Davis, Director Environmental Oncology, an American epidemiologist and
writer in an interview on her cell phone. She should know. The recent and widespread
advent of cell phones has caused a large amount of help and harm to people in general.
There have been umpteen cries that cell phones are dangerous, especially to young
children. But on the other hand, cell phones are very important for the normal, untroubled
functioning of our day to day life. This fundamental fact has been long acknowledged.
What we have to evaluate is whether, the pros of cell phones even out and eclipse its cons
or no. This is the vital question that needs answering. A large amount of research has
been carried out on this and every few days we see the results of experiments carried out
by reputable institutions in the newspapers; but they do not answer the fundamental fact
of whether cell phones are so useful or whether they pose a legitimate danger to us.

“Globalization, as defined by rich people like us, is a very nice thing... you are
talking about the Internet, you are talking about cell phones, you are talking about
computers. This doesn't affect one-thirds of the people of the world”, said Jimmy Carter
who served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the
recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the
Prize after leaving office. However wrong one thinks Jimmy Carter was, in the decisions
he took while President, one cannot deny that what he says here has a ring of truth in it.
Cell phones are extremely popular though and altogether by the end of 2009, the number
of cellular subscriptions worldwide reached approximately 4.6 billion. This of course
includes people which have multiple cell phones. Now even if we take into consideration
the concept of multiple cell-phone people, we realize that the number of cell-phones is
close to the number of people in the world; but does not affect all the people in the world.
The point which I wanted to make via this long-winded paragraph is that cell phones
affect a very large number of people in our society and that any advantages or
disadvantages associated with them, will in the end, by the sheer numbers involved, be
either extremely useful or extremely detrimental to society; or more likely have an
assorted combination of both aspects.

Cell phones, as is commonly known have a very large number of extremely

desirable features. Apart from the conventional and now mundane use of cell-phones to
speak with each other, we can also use cell-phones for other things. These include
messaging, playing music, taking photos, using simple applications based on
generic managed platforms, gaming, gambling, adult entertainment, advertising, news
services and so on. I have barely touched the surface here, I must say. So, it is agreed.
Cell phones have become miniature computers and fit neatly into the complicated
conundrum which we call our life. Almost too neatly, if you know what I mean.

All clouds have a silver lining goes an age-old proverb. The converse must also
be true, right? And so it is. A massive amount of usage of cell-phones can have a myriad
of disastrous effects. One important aspect is privacy. Governments, law enforcement and
intelligence services use mobiles to perform surveillance in the UK and the US. They
possess technology to remotely activate the microphones in cell phones in order to listen
to conversations that take place near to the person who holds the phone. Cell phones are
also commonly used to collect location data. It may be just in western countries now, but
soon with the new fad of security, mark my words, India will be bubbling over with
security and privacy concerns soon. It already started actually- with Blackberry, as any
newspaper will tell. Another big concern is that people forget themselves while using cell
phones. So, traffic accidents increase. But the biggest concern and the one that has been
hitting headlines recently, is that of health.

“The greatest polluting element in the earth’s environment is the proliferation of

electromagnetic fields. I consider that to be a far greater threat on a global scale than
warming, or the increase of chemical elements in the environment” said Dr. Robert
Becker, two-time Nobel nominee, author a U.S. orthopedic surgeon and researcher
in electro-medicine who worked mainly as professor at Upstate Medical Center in State
University of New York, Syracuse, and as Director of Orthopedic Surgery at the Veterans
Administration Hospital, Syracuse, New York. The effect cell phone radiation has on
human health is the subject of recent interest and study, as a result of the enormous
increase in cell phone usage throughout the world. Cell phones use electromagnetic
radiation in the microwave range, which some believe may be harmful to human health.
There have been several well-documented and loud cries over fears about cancer,
dielectric heating of living tissues, blood-brain barrier, radiation absorption, genotoxic
effects, sleep and EEG effects and so on because of oft-reported symptoms ranging from
burning and tingling sensations in the skin of the head and extremities, fatigue, sleep
disturbances, dizziness, loss of mental attention, reaction times and memory
retentiveness, headaches, malaise heart palpitations, to disturbances of the digestive
system. According to the Indian Journal of Human Genetics, “40% percent of cells taken
from cell phone users show DNA damage.”

“At the molecular level, radio waves can disrupt growth patterns and the
functioning of cells, particularly brain cells and nervous system tissue” said Dr. A. S.
Michrick. A multiplier effect often comes into existence when we take the society at
large and introduce a product or an experience to it. So, we have to be very careful about
the possible effects involved as even a small inconvenience or trouble or discomfort can
have a massive negative effect in the long run when used by a large section of the
population. Keeping this is mind, we hear the haunting words of Dr. Michael Klieeisen
after the Spanish Neuro Diagnostic Research Institute in Marbella found that a call
lasting just two minutes can alter the natural electrical activity of a child’s brain for up to
an hour afterwards, “We never expected to see this continuing activity in the brain”.
What is so fearsome about this fairly mundane and straightforward statement is that if
scientists are not able to foretell things like this even remotely, what can they presage
about the long-term effects of prolonged exposure to cell-phones? These are early days
yet in the saga of cell phones and things have not fully panned out. Many stories are yet
to be told and we, rather frighteningly are living it.

All in all, cell phones have certainly changed the way that we have lived.
However, they do have some malevolent side effects. We have to recognize it and live
accordingly. We should try to develop techniques and technology that will eradicate or at
least minimize the baleful effects. Already, there has been talk about screens that can stop
dangerous radiation coming out from phones. But well, we need action, not talk. This
technology can still take some time to become popular and so we will have to wait and
see still. Cell phones have certainly changed our whole lifestyle and so in that way they
are certainly boons. However, whether they become a bane because of our over-usage is
in our hands. Prolonged exposure to cell phones will certainly not be good. We should
follow the philosophy of the great Roman lyric poet, Horace. He followed ‘aurea
mediocritas’ or the ‘golden mean’, which means the desirable middle between two
extremes, one of excess and the other of deficiency. In the matter of cell phones, so
should we.
PRATHEEK PRAVEEN KUMAR

prytheek@yahoo.com