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 tumours.

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:

1. Ubooly
2. Leap Pad Ultra
3. VTech InnoTab 3S
4. VTech InnoTab 2 Baby
5. nabi jr.
6. Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Kids 7.0 (Wi-Fi)
7. Fun Tab Pro
8. Meep X 2
9. Tabeo
10. 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)

Frank Clegg
Phone: [phone] ext. 101.
Email: [email protected]