The impact of the 5G disinformation during the Covid19 crisis

Author: Assistant prof. Tomislav Shuminoski, PhD

Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technologies (FEEIT), Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.  His doctoral dissertation is on advanced QoS mechanisms for 5G networks. He is IEEE Senior Member and member of the C3I in Skopje.

We live in a time of unseen technological advances, innovations and scientific discoveries, especially in information and communication technologies (ICT), where the implementation and use of the 5G network worldwide can be singled out.

At the time of the 5G implementation around the world, because it coincided with the spread of the COVID-19 virus and the outbreak of a pandemic, conspiracy theorists were able to link this virus (among other things) with 5G. The fact is that the outbreak of the pandemic has moved the world into a dead-end, interrupting many processes, quarantines, crises, and above all great human losses. And as a result, the spread of 5G disinformation around the world, through various portals, social networks and various media about the danger and harmfulness of 5G, about the connection of 5G with the virus COVID-19, has somehow intensified and accelerated.

Undoubtedly, the propaganda against 5G begins with the intention to deal with some countries and scientific institutions, to enroll in political-economic-psychological and deep business interests. The purpose of the disinformation was – to spread panic, fear and stopping some advanced ICT processes, i.e. causing technophobia. As time goes on, it can be seen that the disinformation about 5G has spread, with a deeper background – to slow down the technological development of certain companies that came out first with 5G inventions and implementation of the 5G network, and as a result of the economic war between the East and the West, about business interests, and market dominance for 5G (i.e. struggle in ICT development).

Today, most people seem capable of believing in stories, misinformation, and fake news, which inspire them with fear, horror, and lies, and they at all do not want to know the truth and proven things. Strangely, on the one hand we have top human achievements, technical advances with space travel capabilities, unseen spacecraft missions to other planets, and on the other hand, there are people who still believe in “flat earth” and disinformation about “brain control” with the help of 5G networks, etc.

In the first months of the spread of the pandemic, the strong influence and spread of 5G disinformation began. Starting from the fact that the quarantine is exactly the reason for setting up “secretly” 5G base stations, calls for stoning of 5G base stations, because they “caused the virus” COVID-19, and similar misinformation. Such unprecedented hysteria caused not only by disinformation about 5G networks, but also by other disinformation and fake news during the COVID-19 crisis, was really panicky, instilling unseen fear in a large part of the population, especially in those who were not so knowledgeable in science. It slowly beings that – how much scientists, professors, students and all those who know really need to come out bravely and express their views publicly. After all – we all have a sacred duty to present what we really know, and what has been verified. It is invoidable, because the world has come to a rift, to a critical point, covered in lies.

It is a fact that disinformation and recommended videos by self-proclaimed “experts” (who became experts for 5G by watching for 2 minutes) can do incredible damage, but they can be also win if we do enlighten of the things and go back to the basic principle of physics and experimental proofs. Those “experts” in disinformation are using partial parameters for the 5G damages, using out of context things, using examples which cannot be called experiments (because they are not repeatable) and other dubious “measurements”. Usually, they goes with the fact that 5G emission are on high frequencies. And no valid parameters were mentioned as: how “high” the frequencies are. No matter how high the frequencies are – the spectrum in which 5G radiates and all existing mobile and wireless technologies is a spectrum that belongs to non-ionizing radiation (below 300 GHz), and which frequencies are too far from harmful ionizing and radioactive radiation. And above all, if we only look at the frequency parameter (without looking at the electric field strength or the level of radiant power), then we all should disappear long time ago, because the frequency of visible light (the one we see) is from 400 THz to 790 THz *. According to ICNIRP in the directions given – in appendix A [1], the relevant measurable parameters are clearly defined and in the same document the limits within which these parameters should move are given, so those given limits ensured existence of no side effects from the radiation of any technology (for Macedonia see [2]). According to [1] and other scientific articles – 5G radiations are within the allowable ranges and there is still no relevant evidence that it is otherwise. Finally, are telecommunications’ companies interested in selling harmful and dangerous 5G mobile devices?

Moreover, it can be said that the part of the solutions for disinformation coping (not only with 5G disinformation, but in general) are the following: examining the relevance of the source from which it is reading/watching, as well as following the latest verified research and published scientific papers; existence of a filter on social networks, websites, video channels for detection and removal of disinformation and fake news (example: existence of aggregators with false news and disinformation); greater presence of educated people, professors, scientists and doctors who would inform about the relevant researches, experimental results and achievements, as well as paying strong attention to educational institutions to use relevant sources of information and proven experimental results.

Finally, any advanced technology is like magic – we can use it to hurt someone, to do harm, but we can also use it for good, for laughing and communicating beautiful things – it’s up to us. The only way out is the truth. Only truth is the most stable ground on which we can endure and step towards prosperity and overall well-being.

* For comparison 1 GHz is 1000000000 Hz, and 1 ТHz is 1000000000000 Hz.

[1] https://www.icnirp.org/cms/upload/publications/ICNIRPrfgdl2020.pdf

[2] http://aek.mk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/ИЗВЕШТАЈ-ОД-МЕРЕЊЕ-НА-НЕЈОНИЗИРАЧКО-ЗРАЧЕЊЕ-AEK-5G-NR.pdf

This article is supported by the Metamorphosis Foundation and Techsoup. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not always reflect the views of the Metamorphosis Foundation, Techsoup and C3I.