Phonegate: Quebec Court of Appeal Confirms Class Action Against Apple and Samsung

Phonegate: Quebec Court of Appeal Confirms Class Action Against Apple and Samsung
By : Phonegate Team • 27 Sep 2024

On September 18, 2024, the Quebec Court of Appeal upheld the first instance judgment of September 22, 2022, authorizing the class action initiated in 2019 against Apple and Samsung. This action concerns allegations of failures to inform users and potential health risks related to their mobile phones. This decision poses a real financial and reputational risk for both manufacturers!

Key points of the decision

• Rejection of Apple and Samsung‘s appeals requesting complete dismissal of the action
• Rejection of the plaintiffs’ incidental appeal seeking to expand the scope of the action
• Upholding of the initial judgment that had reduced the extent of the class action

A class action related to the Phonegate scandal

France: Proposed law on electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS)

Note: This is an unofficial auto-translation of the bill.

No. 211

_____

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

CONSTITUTION OF OCTOBER 4, 1958

SEVENTEENTH LEGISLATURE

Registered with the Presidency of the National Assembly on September 17, 2024.

PROPOSED LAW

aiming to recognize electro - hypersensitivity as a disabling disease ,

(Referred to the Social Affairs Committee, in the absence of the establishment of a special committee within the time limits provided for in Articles 30 and 31 of the Rules of Procedure.)

presented by

Mrs. Sylvie BONNET, Mr. Thibault BAZIN, Mr. François-Xavier CECCOLI, Mr. Nicolas FORISSIER, Mr. Alexandre PORTIER, Mr. Jean-Pierre TAITE, Mr. Jean-Pierre VIGIER, deputies.

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

Ladies and Gentlemen ,​

For about twenty years, people have attributed the symptoms they experience (headaches, sleep disorders, concentration problems, skin irritations and tinnitus, etc.) to exposure to electromagnetic fields. These symptoms often have a significant impact on their quality of life and their ability to function on a daily basis.

Electrosensitivity is not officially recognized as a disease in France. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized in 2005 that it was " characterized by various non-specific symptoms that differ from one individual to another " and that it affects up to 2% of the French population. As a result, electrohypersensitive people often feel marginalized and misunderstood and may have difficulty finding doctors or health professionals who take them seriously and help them manage their symptoms.

Switzerland: Top Swiss education official not a fan of phones in schools

Top Swiss education official not a fan of phones in schools
swissinfo.ch, 25 September 2024

The head of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education, Silvia Steiner, said in an interview that smartphones have brought about a decline in interpersonal communication abilities.

(Photo): Are younger people unlearning the ability to talk to each other? Keystone-SDA

However, Steiner does not believe a general ban, to be imposed by politicians, is necessary, she told the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper on Wednesday.

Most schools already have clear regulations on the use of mobile phones and schools have to make their own decisions in this regard, she says. However, personally she doesn’t see the need for phones in class or the schoolyard.

The UN and the WHO – Owned by the Wireless Industry?

The UN and the WHO – Owned by the Wireless Industry?
Guest Post by Sean Alexander Carney of Safe Tech International
Posted on Patricia Burke's Substack, "Safe Tech International", 25 Sept. 2024
Researched and written by Sean Alexander Carney for Safe Tech International.

The future: Turning people into transmitters

Through the ubiquitous wireless connectivity promised by the Internet of Things (IoT) humanity and every living thing is turned into a wireless “transmitter.” As this is currently being done without full consent of the population, across the globe – it raises concerns from a health perspective, and a human rights perspective.

Governments rapidly rolling out 5G tell us that exposure guidelines backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) ensure we are all safe within “set limits” and, that they readily support the wireless IoT for the purpose of developing a data-driven future epitomised by the smart city, a “vision” of a new society propelled by the UN’s politics of “climate change” and “sustainability”.

Health Hazards of Wireless Technologies: What do we know now? - Webinar by Dr. Joel Moscowitz, 25 September 2024 - 2 pm EST

Health Hazards of Wireless Technologies: What do we know now?
Date & Time - Sep 25, 2024 14:00 EST US - 08:00 PM in Zurich

For registration and link, see below.

Description
Wireless technologies, including cell phones, wireless internet, and Bluetooth devices, have become ubiquitous in our lives. Most adults in the US own a cell phone, and cell phone use is widespread among children and adolescents. New cell antenna sites are being deployed widely. Wireless technologies and equipment designs also change rapidly. 

The preponderance of scientific evidence shows adverse biological and health effects from the radiofrequency (RF) radiation, or electromagnetic fields (EMFs), used and generated by these devices. A number of studies have considered the mechanisms of biological harm from RF radiation, and federal studies have documented increased incidence of certain tumors in laboratory animals associated with RF exposure. Epidemiological studies have found increased risk of certain tumors associated with long-term use of wireless phones. 

 In this webinar, Dr. Joel Moskowitz will provide a brief overview of selected recent studies on health hazards of wireless technologies. He will briefly discuss a meta-analysis of case-control studies of cell phone use and tumor risk, as well as the state of the evidence on children’s brain cancers, thyroid cancers, and other health hazards. This webinar is designed to provide a brief introduction to a subset of the recent scientific evidence, with a focus on cancer and on children’s health.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lTLtFG0IR7S3v33c76C0uQ

United States: Mobile Phone Ban Sweeps American Schools

Do Not Disturb: Mobile Phone Ban Sweeps American Schools
newsweek.com, Sep 22, 2924 Updated Sep 23, 2024

Cellphone bans are becoming commonplace in U.S. schools, with numerous states bringing in restrictions on children having devices on them during education hours.

(Photo): A composite image created by Newsweek. More and more states are beginning to act on phone usage in schools. Photo-illustration by Newsweek/Getty

The debate over phones in schools has been ongoing since they became a significant part of everyday life in the mid-2000s. These days you would struggle to find many American teenagers who don't own some sort of device, with parents usually giving their child their own phone when they are 13 years old, according to research by Prodigy Education.

Phonegate Alert criticizes WHO study on mobile phone risks

Phonegate Alert criticizes WHO study on mobile phone risks
By : Phonegate Team • 19 Sep 2024

Phonegate Alert calls for a critical analysis of the recent WHO study on health risks of mobile phones

Paris, September 18, 2024 – The Phonegate Alert association demands a thorough and independent examination of the results of a recently published study by the World Health Organization (WHO). This study, which concludes there are no risks of brain cancer linked to mobile phone use, raises numerous questions about its methodology and impartiality.

Biased selection? Only 63 studies out of 5,379 retained for WHO analysis

The WHO study screened 5,379 scientific publications published between 1994 and 2022. However, only 63 of them were subjected to in-depth examination, raising questions about the selection criteria.

Among these studies is Mobi-Kids, whose impartiality has been questioned by a Phonegate Alert investigation, revealing serious conflicts of interest with the mobile phone industry. The use of the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach to assess the quality of evidence also raises concerns.

GRADE: An unsuitable method for assessing long-term risks of radiofrequencies

Although widely used, the GRADE method has significant limitations in assessing long-term health risks. It favors randomized clinical trials, which are difficult to conduct for prolonged environmental exposures. This approach tends to undervalue observational studies, which are crucial for understanding the long-term effects of radiofrequencies. Moreover, GRADE often minimizes the importance of mechanistic evidence and animal studies, which are essential in this field.

Australia plans a minimum age limit for social media use

Australia plans a minimum age limit for social media use
By Reuters, CNN, 10 September 2024

Australia intends to set a minimum age limit for children to use social media, citing concerns about mental and physical health. The plan has sparked backlash from digital rights advocates who warn the measure could drive dangerous online activity underground.

(Photo):  The law would put Australia among the first countries in the world to impose an age restriction on social media. Keiko Iwabuchi/Moment RF/Getty Images

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his center-left government would run an age verification trial before introducing age minimum laws for social media this year.

Albanese didn’t specify an age but said it would likely be between 14 and 16.

6G mobile phone technology could emit harmful ‘laser-like beams’, researchers warn

6G mobile phone technology could emit harmful ‘laser-like beams’, researchers warn
Story by Joe Pinkstone, msn.com / The Telegraph, 13 September 2024

6G technology will use potentially harmful “laser beams” to create the ultra-fast mobile internet, an expert has warned.

(Photo): Experts estimate that 6G could reach speeds up to ten times faster than 5G - PAVLO GONCHAR/LIGHTROCKET

The next generation of wireless internet will have to use higher energy radio waves than current 4G and 5G devices as all traditional cellular frequencies are already in use.

Scientists are now investigating using higher frequencies, which have a wavelength of more than one millimetre, to create future high-speed networks with larger bandwidth and minimal latency compared to existing technologies.

But there are concerns over how to protect users from the highly focused radio waves.

United Kingdom: One of England's biggest school academy trusts to ban phone use

Ormiston Academies Trust confirmed to the BBC it was phasing out access to smartphones for around 35,000 pupils at its 42 state schools across the country.

One of England's biggest school academy trusts to ban phone use
by Vincent McAviney & Mallory Moench, BBC News, 14 September 2024

One of the chain's secondary schools
is already phone-free

One of England's largest school academy trusts is set to ban phones during the school day.

Ormiston Academies Trust confirmed to the BBC it was phasing out access to smartphones for around 35,000 pupils at its 42 state schools across the country.

A spokesperson for the trust told the BBC that "teaching and learning, behaviour and children’s mental health are all impacted negatively by mobile phones".

Earlier this year, the Department for Education under the previous Conservative government updated its advice on mobile phones to give school leaders in England the power to ban their use during the school day.

Russian National Committee for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Chairman attacks WHO-commissioned review that claims no cellphone-cancer link

Dr. Oleg Grigoriev, one of the world's leading experts, emailed to Dr. Joel Moscowitz this message regarding the Karipidis et al. (2024) review and gave him permission to post it. You will find it on Dr, Moscowitz's site : Electromagnetic Radiation Safety.

Biased WHO-commissioned review claims no cancer link to cellphone use

Russian National Committee for Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection Chairman attacks WHO-commissioned review that claims no cellphone-cancer link
Electromagnetic Radiation Safety, 11 September 2024

Dr. Oleg A. Grigoriev, Sept 11, 2024

(Dr. Grigoriev, one of the world's leading experts, emailed me this message regarding the Karipidis et al. (2024) review and gave me permission to post it.)

A group of little-known scientists have claimed responsibility for all cases of cancer associated with exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. These scientists claim that possible, probable, and proven cancer from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields does not exist and never can exist. Thus, responsibility for misleading consumers, industry, and healthcare systems lies with several specific authors.

Decoding New WHO–ICNIRP Cancer Review

Old Wine in New Bottles
Decoding New WHO–ICNIRP Cancer Review
Game Over? Likely Not
microwavenews.com, September 11, 2024

An international team of researchers, many with close ties to ICNIRP, is trying to put to rest the very possibility that RF radiation can lead to brain cancer —and, by extension, any type of cancer.

On August 30, they published a detailed systematic review of RF and cell phone epidemiological studies, which concludes that there is little evidence to justify continued concern over a possible cancer link.

The review, commissioned by the World Health Organization‘s (WHO) EMF Project, appears in the journal Environment International.

A few days later, Ken Karipidis, the lead author, posted a short summary to serve as a press release for the journal manuscript, which takes up 52 typeset pages of the journal.

9/11 - In Memory of Those Who Lost Their Lives

More FDNY members have died from 9/11-related illnesses than were killed in attack
by Avery Lotz, axios.com, 11 September 2024

(Photo):  annual ''Tribute in Light'', which is a solemn display to commemorate the tragic events of 2001 and honors the nearly 3,000 lives lost, is tested ahead of the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 attacks in New York on Sept. 9. Photo: Fatih Aktas/Anadolu via Getty Images

The number of New York City Fire Department members who have died from 9/11-related illnesses in the decades since the attack now surpasses the number who died that day.

The Netherlands: Ban on cell phones in Dutch schools launched

Ban on cell phones in Dutch schools launched
aachener-zeitung.de/, 2 September 2024 - auto-translation

Mobile phones are now taboo during lessons in the Netherlands. The reasoning is that children learn and concentrate better this way.

(Photo): The introduction of a ban on mobile phones in Dutch schools was not without controversy. (Symbolic image) Photo: Jens Kalaene/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa

Since Monday, all Dutch schools have been banning mobile phones during lessons. After mobile phones have been taboo in secondary schools since the beginning of the year, the ban has now also been introduced in primary schools with the start of the new school year. The Ministry of Education in The Hague justified the move by saying that mobile phones distract pupils and reduce their ability to concentrate, which has a negative impact on their learning performance.

Italy: Calabria Region Recognizes Fibromyalgia and Electrosensitivity

Calabria Region Recognizes Fibromyalgia and Electrosensitivity
elettrosensibili.it/, 17 March 2024 - auto.translation

On March 12, the Regional Council of Calabria unanimously approved regional law 8/2024, which recognizes the social relevance of fibromyalgia and electrosensitivity.

The Region, while waiting for the recognition of fibromyalgia and electrosensitivity at a national level, wants to promote the establishment of clinics dedicated to free screening activities and the establishment at hospital and territorial level of multidisciplinary clinics dedicated solely to the aforementioned pathologies.

Furthermore, the law, in recognizing the significant contribution of the associations, establishes a regional registry for fibromyalgia and a regional registry for electrosensitivity in order to track their incidence and prevalence at the regional level.

New research shows regular mobile phone use can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, especially in smokers and people with diabetes

New research shows regular mobile phone use can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, especially in smokers and people with diabetes

eurekalert.org/, News Release, 4 Sept. 2024

A new study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology investigates the association between mobile phone use, risk of heart diseases, and modifiable lifestyle factors

Peer-Reviewed Publication
Elsevier

Philadelphia, September 4, 2024 – A new study has found that regular mobile phone use was positively associated with incident cardiovascular diseases risk, especially in current smokers and individuals with diabetes. In addition, this association was partly attributed to poor sleep, psychological distress, and neuroticism. The article in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, published by Elsevier, details the results of this large-scale prospective cohort study.

Yanjun Zhang, MD, Division of Nephrology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China, explains, "Mobile phone use is a ubiquitous exposure in modern society, so exploring its impact on health has significant public health value. Radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) emitted by mobile phones cause dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory responses, and oxidative stress, and are therefore expected to affect a variety of organs such as the heart and blood vessels. However, whether mobile phone use is associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases remains uncertain."

Is EMF-Altered Brain Morphology Increasing School Shootings and Violence?

Is EMF-Altered Brain Morphology Increasing School Shootings and Violence?
QuantaDose Press Releases, quantadose.com, 5 September 2024

School shootings are an alarming trend that leaves communities searching for answers. While the causes of such violence are often attributed to mental health issues, societal influences, or easy access to firearms, there’s a critical environmental factor that has gone largely overlooked: the role of electromagnetic fields (EMFs), particularly from wireless technology, and their impact on brain development and behavior. Could school shootings be an unintended consequence of the wireless age?

This article explores the link between EMF exposure and altered brain morphology, delving into how wireless radiation might be influencing the rise in neurodevelopmental disorders, impulsive behaviors, and violence among today’s youth. The urgent need for updated safety guidelines to protect the future of our children from the bioelectrical disruption caused by EMFs is undeniable.

Uncovering WHO’s Bias and the True Health Risks of Wireless Radiation

Uncovering WHO’s Bias and the True Health Risks of Wireless Radiation

rfsafe.comm September 4, 2024 

Electromagnetic Radiation Safety WHO Review

Jolygon/Getty Images

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from wireless devices like cell phones, Wi-Fi, and cell towers has become an inescapable part of modern life. Yet, for decades, the health effects of prolonged exposure to this radiation have been a topic of controversy, with powerful industry forces influencing the narrative and regulation. As research has evolved, evidence increasingly suggests that EMR poses significant health risks, including cancer, but organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) have repeatedly downplayed these concerns.

This article will dissect a recent WHO-commissioned review, which claims no cancer link to cellphone use, despite an overwhelming body of research that suggests otherwise. We will explore the mechanisms behind this bias, the role of organizations like the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP), and how conflicts of interest have shaped the regulatory landscape. Moreover, we will contrast WHO’s position with independent studies that highlight the true dangers of wireless radiation.

Biased WHO-commissioned review claims no cancer link to cellphone use

Today, many major news outlets are promoting a biased review of the literature commissioned by the World Health Organization (WHO) which claims that cellphone use has no link to cancer. Following are comments by Dr. Joel Moscowitz, University of California, Berkeley, on this review.

Biased WHO-commissioned review claims no cancer link to cellphone use
saferemr.com, September 3, 2024

Photograph: Kar-Tr/Getty Images/iStockphoto
(from The Guardian)

Today, many major news outlets are promoting a biased review of the literature commissioned by the World  Health Organization (WHO) which claims that cellphone use has no link to cancer.

In my professional opinion, the WHO selected scientists  to conduct systematic literature reviews on the biologic and health risks of wireless radiation who had demonstrated their bias through prior publications by either not finding evidence of harm or dismissing any evidence they found.

Moreover, each WHO team has one or more members of the ICNIRP, a German NGO that issues exposure limits for wireless radiation primarily based on research produced by its own members, their former students and close colleagues. The ICNIRP limits, designed to protect humans only from the acute effects of heating induced by wireless radiation, are promoted by the WHO and are similar to those adopted by the FCC.