10 Kids' Holiday Gifts to Avoid
Canadians for Safe Technology Offer Tips for a Safe Holiday
season
OAKVILLE, ON, Dec. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - As families across
Canada are busy making and checking their Christmas wish lists, Canadians for
Safe Technology (C4ST) offers important tips to help parents make informed
choices when buying the safest gifts possible for their children this holiday
season.
Personal electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets,
are becoming increasingly popular gifts, even for very young children. Many
parents assume that if toys and gadgets are in the marketplace, they are safe
for their children. However, parents may be surprised to learn that many of
these devices, which rely on Wi-Fi technology that can pass through concrete
and steel, may not have undergone sufficient safety product testing. C4ST is
concerned that manufacturers and retailers are marketing this potentially
unsafe technology to children as young as two years old.
As the use of these devices increases, so too does
Canadians' exposure to wireless radiation from technology. Many studies,
including one conducted by the World Health Organization, have indicated that
direct, long-term contact to wireless radiation is biologically harmful and can
potentially have damaging health effects. A recent Swedish study, published in
the International Journal of Oncology, correlates mobile and cordless phone use
to malignant brain tumors.
C4ST advocates for the safe use of technology. To help
achieve this, C4ST has offered a list of the top 10 wireless-based devices that
parents should avoid buying for their children this holiday season:
Ubooly
Leap Pad Ultra
VTech InnoTab 3S
VTech InnoTab 2 Baby
nabi jr.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids 7.0 (Wi-Fi)
Fun Tab Pro
Meep X 2
Tabeo
Polaroid Kids Tablet 2
In addition to advocating for safe technology, C4ST is
engaged with all levels of government to create safer environments for Canadian
families. As a result, C4ST has supported the following motions passed in the
last month by councils:
West Vancouver Council voted against supporting a proposal
by Rogers Communications to install three cell towers along Upper Levels
Highway;
City of Guelph Council passed a motion asking Industry
Canada to place a moratorium on approving any new radiocommunication facilities
until Health Canada's review of Safety Code 6 has been completed;
City of Toronto Council approved a contract with Rogers
Communications for the installation of telecommunications equipment on city
property with a condition that radiation levels will meet Toronto's Prudent
Avoidance levels, which are 100 times safer than Health Canada's Safety Code 6;
and
Toronto Council encouraged Health Canada to actively review
health evidence, including the most recent scientific research and studies,
related to human exposure to radiofrequencies and to revise Safety Code 6 to
meet international best practices, in consultation with the public and
appropriate experts.
About C4ST
C4ST is a national, not-for-profit, volunteer-based
coalition of parents, citizens and experts. Our mission is to 1) educate and
inform Canadians and policy makers about the dangers of the exposures to unsafe
levels of radiation from technology; and 2) to work with all levels of
government to create healthier communities for children and families.
SOURCE Canadians for Safe Technology (C4ST)
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