Should school children be allowed to use mobile phones?
The Karnataka government's ban on the sale of cell phones to children below the age of 16 may have invited censure from various corners, especially children, who are accusing the government of acting as a "moral brigade", but it has triggered off a debate on how the latest gadgets and electronic equipment pose a threat to a generation that cannot do without them. The Centre has formed a committee to evolve guidelines for bringing out legislation that will put restrictions on the usage of mobile phones and other electronic gadgets. The draft guidelines prepared by the Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) under the Department of Telecommunications, Union ministry of communications and information technology, has proposed that cellphone use amongst children below 16 should be "discouraged", and only those cellphones should be bought which have appropriate specific absorption ratings (SAR). The committee has also taken up the issue of radiation emissions from ...