Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1146457
11 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 21 JULY 2019 NEWS has also published an in- depth analysis on 5G deploy- ment in the EU which ad- mitted that electromagnetic radiation exposure was still a tentative area of discovery. "One aspect, for example, that is not well understood today is the unpredictable propagation patterns that could result in unacceptable levels of human exposure to electromagnetic radiation," the study reads. The use of 5G – the fifth generation of wireless tech- nology – will be transforma- tive for society, providing up to 100 times faster connec- tions than 4G networks. Most importantly, 5G will enable new critical infrastructure services that will power au- tonomous vehicles and trans- portation, and automated manufacturing. The 5G Appeal calls for studies to be funded and con- ducted to validate or deny the risk of the latest generation of mobile technology. Prof. Mallia believes that certain educated warnings concerning mobile phones are red flags that should le- gitimately encourage serious research into the technology. "The fact that we are warned not to put a mobile phone close to one's heart (in your breast pocket), or to switch off routers in the night if they are close to your bed shows that this is a reality. Only time will tell whether seeing all these children with mobiles in their hands at home will see an increase in pathology. Some are more sensitive to this radiation but damage is not limited only to them," he said, adding that ultimately the question is whether any- one was willing to have mo- bile masts being erected out- side one's bedroom. Research carried out has linked 5G millimetre wave- lengths to heart problems, birth defects, decreased an- tibiotic sensitivity, cataracts, and immune system suppres- sion. The Santa Clara Medical Association's The Bulletin argues that with cellphone use already linked to cancer, reproductive issues and nu- merous other negative health effects, the explosive increase in signals that 5G will bring about is a serious concern. 5G would likely mean a se- ries of antennas posted not just in cities but along pow- er lines. "I remember local companies offering €1,000 to people to install masts on their roof without consulting neighbours," Prof. Mallia said of Malta's 3G revolution in 2006. "Industry can be very difficult to control to the ex- tent that it has a lot of weight on politics. This is a world- wide concern and not only local." The 5G Appeal was pre- sented to Karmenu Vella, the EU Commissioner of the Environment, last May. The signatories told the EU they would consider litigation in all competent courts if the moratorium is not enforced. "This issue is too urgent and the threat to all living organ- isms on this planet too great for the appeal to be ignored and delegated to subordi- nates." dhudson@mediatoday.com.mt YANNICK PACE PUBLIC service entities whose online platforms are not inclusive for all users, particularly those with some form of dis- ability, could be liable to fines of up to €20,000 under new regulations published last month. The new rules implement an EU direc- tive on public sector website accessibility. "It doesn't really cross anyone's mind until they've been told about it. Some as- pects hadn't even occurred to me before," disability rights commissioner Oliver Sci- cluna told MaltaToday, on the issue of ac- cessible websites. While physical accessibility – such as the need for ramps to doorways for gov- ernment offices – might be obvious to many, the need for captioned videos for those with hearing difficulties, or text- readers for the visually impaired might not yet be as obvious. Indeed, as society becomes more sensitised to the physical accessibility, it is the accessibility of web- sites and apps that is the less discussed subject. "We're talking about colour-contrast on websites, font enlargement options, and speech engines which are all examples," Scicluna says, listing examples of how websites should become better attuned for the disabled. Currently, some 19,000 people are regis- tered with the Commission for the Rights of Persons with a Disability (CPRD) as having some form of disability – roughly 4% of the population – and as services increasingly migrate to the digital space, ensuring that they are accessible becomes more of a priority. Moreover, individuals like the elderly might not be registered as having a disa- bility, but would also benefit from clearer and easier-to-use websites. While Scicluna says the commission did not often receive complaints about website accessibility, such cases are not unheard of. He mentioned complaints regarding one Maltese app in particular which was not accessible for blind people. He noted that in recent years an increas- ing number of public services were being made available online, and that the gov- ernment was well aware of the need for more accessibility. "I'm not very worried because there is a strong commitment by the government in this regard," Scicluna said. Now under the new regulations, public sector digital platforms will be required to be "perceivable, operable, understand- able and robust" to everyone wishing to use them. They will apply to all government web- sites as of September this year, and will be extended to government apps from June 2021. Scicluna said the CPRD was working closely with both the Malta Communi- cations Authority and the Foundation for Information Technology Accessibil- ity (FITA), which will be carrying regular audits of public service websites, on the basis of which the MCA will then issue a rating. He said that the plan is to audit all gov- ernment websites over a period of three years. Websites of platforms that are not com- pliant and which are reported to the CPRD will be passed on to the MCA, which, in turn, will communicate with the respective ministry or entity in order for any issues to be addressed. Scicluna said he hoped that the regu- lations would eventually lead to more awareness about website accessibility and would lead to the private sector also con- forming to the same standards. The landscape of 5G 5G will differentiate itself by delivering various improvements which underline why this new technology is so powerful, and therefore why it also requires more studies due to the effects of radiation 10x Decrease in latency: as low as 1ms 10x Connection density: enabling more efficient signalling for Internet Of Things connectivity 10x Experienced throughout: bringing more uniform, multi- Gbps peak rates 3x Spectrum efficiency: achieving even more bits per Hz with advanced antenna techniques 100x Traffic capacity: driving network hyper- densification with more small cells everywhere 100x Network efficiency: optimizing network energy consumption with more efficient processing Fines for 'inaccessible' government websites Individuals like the elderly might not be registered as having a disability, but would also benefit from clearer and easier-to-use websites