Some of these beliefs have been fuelled by a lack of accurate information and through social media. Below, we go through some of the most popular myths about 5G one by one and explain what is behind them and their reality.
Myth 1: COVID-19 vaccines are implanted with a 5G-activated chip to monitor people
Perhaps one of the most widespread myths at the time of the pandemic was the idea that COVID-19 vaccines harboured microscopic chips that were implanted in humans and activated via 5G mobile networks. This theory, worthy of any science fiction movie, originated from the false belief that the rapid spread of the virus in cities was not a coincidence, but a consequence of 5G deployment in urban areas.
This false myth not only remained just that, but generated a level of fear and uncertainty on such a scale that there were numerous acts of vandalism against 5G towers in several countries such as New Zealand and the UK. This strong backlash led to delays in deployment.
It is currently technologically impossible to create chips so small that they are imperceptible and capable of being implanted in vaccines. The smallest existing radio frequency chips are RFID (Radio Frequency ID) chips, which are used, for example, for pet tracking with a maximum range of less than 20m. These chips are encapsulated so that they can be inserted under the skin, and chip plus capsule are approximately 2mm in diameter by 10mm in length. This size is too large to be implanted through a syringe needle.
Myth 2: 5G can kill wildlife and disorientate birds
There is a belief that 5G affects wildlife and is being highly detrimental to birds. This theory is gaining weight following fake videos that have circulated on social media, in which birds can be seen dying and falling to their deaths near phone towers, insinuating that it is the frequencies used by 5G that are causing these deaths.
Although this myth is false, it has managed to spread negative publicity about the use of 5G, provoking the rejection of numerous environmental groups that have focused on stopping the deployment of 5G, justifying a threat to the biodiversity of some areas.
The cause of the death of birds or wildlife in a certain region is usually caused by natural problems, such as changes in the climate or ecosystem. There is no evidence that 5G technology has any detrimental effect on wildlife.
Myth 3: 5G will accelerate climate change
This myth is related to the belief that 5G consumes much more energy than previous generations, because it is capable of transmitting much more data and at higher speeds. In order to achieve such high data transmission rates and higher transmission speeds, the technology will require larger data centres and more powerful processors, which will result in higher energy consumption to maintain and operate them.
It is true that 5G has much more capacity and is faster than previous generations, but it is also true that it achieves all of this efficiently, through spectrum optimisation and power-saving techniques; for example, 5G has the ability to go into ‘sleep’ mode at times when there is no need to transmit information. This translates into significant energy savings that have not been achieved in previous generations of telephony.
Myth 4: 5G will increase radiation exposure beyond human tolerance.
Distrust about the effects of electromagnetic radiation is not a recent phenomenon. With the advent of new technologies, the health debate has always arisen, and it is no different with the advent of 5G. There are concerns that this technology exposes people to harmful levels of electromagnetic radiation, due to its higher radiation frequency and its deployment with a large number of antennas. It is believed that this may be affecting the development of cancers in younger and younger people, as well as infertility problems from wearing mobile phones close to the body and chronic headaches related to using the phone close to the head.
The reality of 5G frequencies is that they are not harmful. 5G propagates in a range of frequencies called non-ionising. This frequency range is also made up of systems that we can find at home, such as Wi-Fi, radio and even microwaves. In addition, 5G has part of its spectrum radiating in what was previously owned by television (700 MHz); we all remember retuning our DTTs! This happened to free up some of the spectrum allocated to TV to run the new 5G. Microwaves also operate on frequencies used for mobile communications (2.4 GHz), and what makes the waves hot inside the microwave is the power at which they are radiated, but such high power is not necessary for mobile communications transmission.
5G also operates at millimetre waves (3.5 GHz) which are higher frequencies than those used in previous mobile generations, but these are well below frequencies considered harmful to humans such as X-rays, gamma rays or UV. The reality of 5G is that the frequencies and powers used for mobile communications propagation do not have enough energy to disrupt human fibres and cause harm.
Agencies such as the European Commission and the WHO establish guidelines and standards that manufacturers and operators must comply with in terms of exposure levels and power transmitted by different radio technologies. The penalties for an operator who fails to comply with current regulations can range from millions of euros to suspension of service.
Conclusions
Through all these myths, we can conclude that 5G has given rise to the belief of numerous false theories, mostly fuelled by unverified information. To get good information, the ideal in this area and in all areas in general is to turn to reliable sources of information and even scientific publications.
The reality is that new technologies are set to transform the world by making it more convenient, reliable and better connected.
