Misleading advertisement on 5G banned by UK advertisement watchdog

UK based charity Electrosensitivity-UK has been warned by the Advertising Standards Authority, not to run ad advertisement again in its current form. The advert in question has given out misleading information about the upcoming 5G network to be rolled out. It has been further stated in the ad that the 5G network has potential to have harmful effects on human health.

The advertisement was seen in July and August, 2019 and began with a question “How safe is 5G?” and then there as an image which showed a family of three as they walked with their dog and holding hands together. The ad then further also stated that 5G network is also related to some of the health issues like depression, affects male fertility, causes headaches, affects sleep cycle and can also lead to cancer. Apart from listing the various health issues, the ad has also mentioned quotes from various professionals who have also talked against the rollout of 5G networks.

The Advertising Standards Authority mentioned that after the ad was published, the watchdog received many complaints regarding it. With regards to the complaint, the authority maintained a stand and explained that the Electrosensitivity-UK is not expected to make any claims unless there is strong evidence that supports the fact that it has any negative effects on the human health. On the other hand Electrosensitivity-UK has explained that the question “How safe is 5G?” is supposed to be unbiased and just an idea that has been put up in open. It has also been explained by the company that the idea given out can be either rejected or accepted by the readers and viewers.

The watchdog has argued that there is insufficient research to prove that 5G is unsafe and causes negative human health effects and therefore the ad is misleading. As an effect of the advertisement, a few towns and cities in the UK have temporarily stalled the installation of 5G infrastructure.

Photo Credits:  Digital Trends