Are WiFi routers a health hazard?

With the proliferation of WiFi, it was only going to be a matter of time before health concerns regarding the electromagnetic fields created by WiFi networks would be discussed.

In the United Kingdom, in particular, parent organizations in schools and local health organizations have been questioning the effects WiFi waves may have on children.This is becoming more of an issue, and some parents have even gone as far as suing a school district over plans to install an always-on WiFi network.

At the moment, there isn’t a single study that suggests any harm whatsoever from WiFi networks. Parents, however, say that this is a new technology and it will need long-term studies spanning years to find out.

In the meantime, they want protection for their kids. Some small stories have been popping up in the press across Europe about teachers or workers claiming to have become sick because of WiFi.This follows years of concerns regarding the dangers of cellular electromagnetic fields (phones and towers), which have been studied extensively with mixed results.

At the moment, it is generally agreed that using a mobile phone for long periods can create headaches, possibly ear infections and generally cause a state of nausea for some users.

That’s why it is recommended to use ear pieces, two-way speakers and other solutions whereby you don’t put a phone against your ear for too long.

Accordingly, and due to the fact that WiFi is now becoming widespread - with every home, office and school soon having these WiFi waves flying around- it becomes important to launch scientific studies in the field.

The same people campaigning against mobile phone masts, are the ones suspecting the health impact of wireless computer networks. People defending WiFi say that a WiFi router is really small, use much less power, has a much shorter range, and gives off less radio frequency radiation than an average cell phone tower. Looking at this issue technically reveals that WiFi routers have a peak power output of 100 mW. Compared to most cellphones, which output around 2 W, its makes WiFi look tame.

So far, industry experts and engineers believe that children, and adults, will be perfectly fine in a WiFi covered area, even if they sat straight in front of the wireless router for extended periods.Every electrical appliance in our modern lives emits electromagnetic waves (radiation).

While schools are cracking down on WiFi routers, they’re allowing microwave ovens, cellphones, televisions, portable radios and other electrical devices that may also pose some undefined long-term risk.

Worrying isn’t it? Or maybe there’s nothing to worry about at all. Let’s see some studies that can tell us more. In the meantime, use every electrical gadget or wireless service with moderation and stay tuned!

zanasser@gmail.com

When you quit, who owns your email?

When you get a job, you get an email address with it. You use that address mainly for work, but maybe also for personal communications.
When you leave, who owns those emails and who has the right to claim them? Is it your right to 'backup and leave'?

This is one of the most recent issues being raised by information-age workers, and it generates heated debate on IT website and employment blogs and forums.

On the one hand, anything you do at a company goes on that company's record and therefore is part of your employment history.

On the other hand, do you have the right to keep important communications and attached documents, maybe even secretive ones, when you are no longer associated with the company?
Isn't that the equivalent of opening a file cabinet at the office, making photocopies of your letters and important documents?

In the good old days, you couldn't do that, but now you can digitally.

Let's take a look at what happens when you leave a company.

You send an email to all contacts saying you are leaving, and that further communications maybe conducted with another colleague, then the IT Manager either automatically diverts every incoming email to this person or just backs-up your incoming messages and gives them to your department to review. Obviously, there's going to be loads of junk and several personal emails. Isn't that somewhat embarrassing?

Your former employer could scan for any interesting or revealing information.

And what about the personal messages you're not getting, aren't some of them important to you?

That's why it is advised that you only use your personal email (Gmail, Hotmail… etc) for 'personals' and never even use your company email when registering for a site or service. Simply, keep it professional.

Turning the tables on employers, are some voices now being raised about companies abusing your email address after you leave. By owning that address, the company may conduct communications in your name! In some cases, this could be a tool to discredit you or seek revenge for anything you've done.

I believe an employer who sticks to formal communications through his/her work email address, and who has done nothing wrong will never have a problem. And, feel an employer who realizes you’re professional enough and left the company on good terms, will not go fishing for info in your mail.

But, just imagine how many lawsuits and legal wrangles could emerge from this situation, if there is no clear legal procedure on who owns the email, what is allowed and what is not once you leave and so on.

As you can see, it's a messy and complex matter. Nowadays, as our lives go ‘fully electronic’ all kinds of questions will be asked, and the law has to step up to this new level of digital economy. n

zanasser@gmail.com