do display screens give out harmful radiation brands

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), "there is no convincing scientific evidence that computer video display terminals (VDTs) are harmful to the eyes."  The common complaints of eye discomfort and fatigue are associated with ergonomic factors such as distance from the person to the monitor, monitor height and brightness, etc.

I have a colleague who is pregnant and who types at a computer. How much radiation does her baby receive at a typical computer? Is there a lead shield that she could wear? Like an apron?

Regulations of the US Department of Health and Human Services require manufacturers to test computer monitor emissions for radiation and to label them attesting to the fact that they have been found to meet the standards of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. You should be able to find this label on the rear of the computer monitor or the computer processor. Health studies of pregnant women who work with VDTs have not found harmful effects on the women or on their children. Heavy lead aprons or other shields are not considered necessary for units that meet the x-ray emission standards of 21 CFR. Such shields may actually be counterproductive from an ergonomic point of view.

Radiation emissions from VDTs (for example, television sets and computer monitors) are regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and manufacturers are required to test and label these products.  Regulations limit radiation emissions from electronic products to levels considered safe.

I have heard a lot of answers about the ill effects of computer radiation but almost all that I have read claim no certainty in their answers. Has there been any valid and indisputable answer to this?

This means that if there are health risks they are too small or of a kind that have not been detected by current methods. Scientists often say that they "cannot disprove a negative," meaning that it is not logically possible to prove that something does not exist. This is because the list of things to be disproved can be endless, and the type and level of sensitivity of the tests that are used can always be improved upon.

I"m getting a computer for my child and would like to know which type of monitor/computer is safest in terms of the different types of radiation that exist. I was told years ago that the flat screens had a different, yet worse, type of radiation. Are there two types of radiation, and is this type worse?

All television receivers (including computer monitors), regardless of type, must meet a mandatory federal performance standard so any x-ray emissions, if they exist at all, must be at very low levels.  I am unaware of two types of radiation, unless you categorize the visible light which you see on the television screen as one type, which is, in fact an electromagnetic radiation; You can also consider radiowaves, which are also electromagnetic radiation. Both of these types of radiation are nonionizing and generally considered safe unless one is exposed to very intense levels.

All television receivers (including computer monitors), regardless of type, must meet a mandatory federal performance standard so any x-ray emissions, if they exist at all, must be at very low levels. The key point is that the emission standard is for "any point on the external surface" which means whether someone is in front of, to the side of, or behind the display or receiver, he/she is protected against any potential emissions of the display to the same degree.

My mom worries about the effects of computer radiation. She says that I am putting my health at risk by being on my PC more than four hours a day. Is this true?

The radiation emission from any computer is RF (radiofrequency) waves. There is no proof that these are harmful unless the intensity is high enough to warm tissue (like a microwave oven). You are not putting yourself at risk (from radiation) by being on your computer more than four hours a day.

My grandchildren often sit with their laptop computers in their laps. Is there any danger to their health and reproductive organs from low-level radiation that may be reaching them?

The only measurable radiation emission from a laptop computer is radio waves. We are constantly exposed to such radiation from all directions and multiple sources, including radio and TV signals, electronic appliances, etc. Current data indicate that these are not harmful to our health. There is, however, quite a bit of heat generated within the laptop while it is on. It is for this reason manufacturers recommend against extended periods of use with the computer on your lap.

The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.

In this post, I’m going to tell you how computer monitors emit EMF radiation, how much they emit, how you can test this, and what you can do about it.

(Just a quick note before we move on. I would love for you to take just a minute and check out Nicolas Pineault’s groundbreaking E-book “A Non-Tinfoil Guide To EMFs.” It is the most entertaining and informative book on EMF radiation you’ll ever read, I promise.)

There are primarily three types of radiation sources that a computer monitor is likely to have, UV light radiation, x-ray radiation, and EMF radiation. Which radiation, and how much they emit, will depend largely on the monitor. Let’s talk a little bit about each kind.

There are basically two categories of monitors: cathode-ray tubes, and the flat-screen monitors that you see today, which are typically either LED or LCD based screens.

Prior to about 2001, almost all monitors were using cathode-ray tube (CRT) technology to power the screens. However, these types of monitors generate, and leak, small amounts of highly dangerous X-Ray Radiation. Although this had been recognized since the 60’s as being dangerous, it was not until the late 1990’s that manufacturers really fell under scrutiny for continuing to make a knowingly dangerous product.

This led to the manufacturing of Light Emitting Diode (LED) and liquid crystal display (LCD), which is what I used for nearly all modern monitors (and televisions)

Exposure to x-radiation is obviously extremely harmful and is an unfortunate bi-product of older style cathode ray tube (CRT) type monitors. The electronics in these old monitors generated extremely high voltages that would often result in x-ray radiation.

Although x-radiation that you could receive from one of these older style CRT monitors is dangerous and harmful, it is much less than you would receive from a medical x-ray machine or the x-ray at the dentist. This is the reason that they have you wear led vests to protect your body from the radiation.

Later versions of CRT monitors were slightly safer, as manufacturers began to take steps to reduce this x-ray radiation by adding lead to the cathode ray tube, which helped to cut down on this issue.

The EMF meter that the gentleman is using in this video is the older version of the Trifield meter, the company now has the new TriField TF2 (read my review), but we’ll talk about that a bit more down below in the section about measuring computer monitor radiation.

Ultraviolet light (UV) is much less harmful than x-ray radiation, but high amounts over a long period of time can still certainly cause harm. Some monitors actually have a fluorescent lamp that is part of the illumination. When the ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, the visible light that you see is created, but it has the side effect of sometimes leaking ultraviolet light out.

Luckily they make screen protectors for computer monitors that not only block 100% of the UV light but also help to filter out blue lights that can cause computer vision syndrome (CVS) from longterm exposure to computer monitors.

The EMF Radiation from your computer monitor will be relatively small and come from circuitry in the back of the unit. As you can see from the video above when he is testing an LCD monitor, there is still a noticeable amount of EMF radiation, but you have to be quite close.

This amount of radiation is enough to cause damage over time. In fact, a study showed that the radiation emitted from a monitor was enough to destabilize the oxidant/antioxidant balance in the cornea’s of rats over even a small amount of time.

The Long Island Power Authority did a study where they measured the average EMF radiation from many home appliances. Although they did not specifically test LCD or led computer monitors, they did test led and LCD televisions. Here are the numbers they came up with at the following distances:

As you can see, there is quite a large amount of EMF radiation at VERY close distances, but if you sit at least three feet away from the screen, you will not much need to worry about EMF radiation exposure. Be sure that you don’t sit so far away that you strain your eyes, but do keep at least 3 feet between you and the screen.

This applies to almost anything that you want to test, but you first need to start by getting a high-quality EMF meter. I personally use, and love, the new TriField TF2 (read my review). It is super easy to use, incredibly accurate, and measures every kind of EMF radiation, which you’ll realize is really important. If you need to start with a lower cost version I also like the Meterk (read my review).

Getting a good EMF meter is one of the absolute best things you can do if you care about the dangers of EMF radiation. Whether it’s figuring out how much radiation your Smart Meter is emitting, or testing to see if your microwave is leaking radiation, or comparing cell phone radiation, having a good EMF meter is the first step in knowing what the problem is, and knowing if your solutions are working.

Now, to test the radiation from a computer monitor, start by turning the monitor off, and getting a baseline reading near it. Then, turn the monitor on and give it a few seconds to boot up.

Start from about 5 feet away, and slowly move towards the monitor with your meter. Take notes of the radiation levels at different distances and note how it exponentially increases as you get within a few inches.

First of all, computer monitors do emit a relatively small amount of EMF radiation at reasonable distances. So the absolute best thing you can do is keep at least a reasonable distance (3 feet or more) between you and the monitor whenever possible.

They don’t seem to make a good shield for computer monitors that are actually intended to block EMF radiation, but they do make this window film that you can pick up on Amazon, that you could cut to fit the size of your monitor if you really wanted to reduce the amount of radiation you’re exposing yourself to.

Although it won’t block radiation, if you are staring at a computer or tv quite a bit during your day, you should consider picking up a pair of glasses that block the blue light rays. This will help protect your eyes from long term exposure.

Since the advent of modern flat-panel screens, the vast majority of computer monitors have few, if any, radiation safety issues. The older technology used with vintage monitors, however, does have a potential for emitting certain types of harmful radiation, though manufacturers were aware of the risks and designed them to be safe. Overall, radiation safety issues from monitors are very minor and easily mitigated.

Monitor Types Computer monitors have used two basic types of technology: traditional cathode-ray tubes and more modern flat-screen designs. Before 2000, most computer equipment makers produced CRT-based monitors. These create images by sending a high-voltage beam of electrons in a vacuum tube to a phosphor screen, causing it to glow. The high voltage generates weak forms of radiation, a fact manufacturers have recognized since color TVs became widespread in the 1960s. Flat-screen monitors, by contrast, dispense with the CRT, creating images using a finely detailed grid of liquid crystals. Inside a flat-screen monitor, a bright lamp produces white light, which the liquid crystals filter into a broad range of colors. Although this technology uses low voltages, some of the lamps used produce mild radiation.

Radiation Types The radiation that comes from computer monitors takes the form of X-rays and ultraviolet light. This is not the same radiation normally associated with radioactive materials such as uranium, although it is associated with long-term exposure risks to living things. Of the two radiation types, X-rays are more harmful as they have more energy. Where monitor designs have the potential to produce X-rays or UV, the manufacturer adds materials that block the radiation, greatly reducing the safety issue.

X-Rays Traditional CRT-based monitors use high voltages that generate X-rays. The voltages used in black-and-white monitors is much lower than that found in color models, so X-rays are an issue only for the latter type. X-rays from a computer monitor are much weaker than those produced in a medical X-ray, as the operating voltage is lower and the radiation is a side effect, not the intended purpose of the design. CRT manufacturers solved the X-ray problem by adding lead to the glass picture-tube material.

Ultraviolet Although ultraviolet light is less harmful than X-rays, high levels of UV can burn skin and even cause blindness. Some flat-panel computer displays employ a fluorescent lamp as a bright light source. In the lamp, ultraviolet light strikes a white phosphor, creating visible light, but a small amount of the UV also escapes. In most LCD monitor designs, a layer of plastic absorbs the UV, minimizing the safety risk. Some flat-screen computer monitors use light-emitting diodes in place of fluorescent lighting, eliminating the UV problem completely.

Even the World Health Organization admits that EMF radiation at certain levels can trigger symptoms like headaches, stress, suicide by depression, vomiting, fatigue, and loss of libido.

Unlike the two products mentioned so far, this Screen Protector exclusively obstructs blue light. It’s not mean to attenuate radiation but to shield your eyes from the harmful effects of blue light.

Yes, but it’s mostly the old CRT monitors that are concerning. Newer LCD screens don’t emit as much. The more immediate threat stems from the blue light they emit.

It depends on your distance from the monitor. Inches away would give you 25-500 mG of EMF radiation, 1 foot emits 0.4-20 mG, while 3 feet emits just 0.1-1.5 mG of radiation.

Monitors emit such a low level of radiation that most agree it’s not a concern. However, even low levels over long periods of time have induced side effects like headaches and depression.

Certified EMF Expert, Chief Editor & Researcher at Beat EMF. I’m in charge of testing all the products and sorting through the duds to deliver effective EMF solutions for your family. Learn more about me here.

Since computers began dominating home and work environments, health concerns have arisen about prolonged computer usage. In the late 1970s and 1980s, workplaces were more concerned with basic comfort and about the toll on people"s backs of sitting in front of a screen for hours; in the 1990s, people were concerned instead about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from extended keyboard use. Since the turn of the millenium, health advocates have become concerned with radiation from the electromagnetic fields generated by computer monitors.

All computers create -- and therefore emit -- electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which are a source of radiation, however minor. In the early days of home computers, most used cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors. Bulky, boxy monitors once populated offices, though as of July 2011, most have been replaced by the slimmer, sleeker -- and healthier -- liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors. In addition, all laptops use LCD screens. LCDs are not EMF-free, but studies have shown they emit lower EMFs than CRT displays.

EMF radiation is present in all but a few specially-designed monitors, and the jury is still out on how harmful the levels of radiation from LCD screens might prove to human health. According to Safe Space Protection, "computers typically measure from two milligauss (mG) to five mG"; 2 mG and higher can potentially damage biological organisms. Despite this claim, the article "Harmful Electrostress from Computers/Laptops" doesn"t specify what kind of computers create this level of radiation, though the article does state that LCD screens and laptops are "much safer" than CRT monitors connected to desktop computers.

According to Danielle Barone, the family health editor for BellaOnline.org, even LCD monitors and laptops emit "enough radiation to affect your health and appearance." While the majority of computer users don"t seem troubled by this, some may wish to exercise a bit more caution. Barone suggests buying what"s called a radiation filter, which blocks between 94 percent and 99 percent of the radiation from your computer screen.

Ultra-health-conscientious computer users -- those who want to reduce their exposure to radiation at every possible turn -- can find and purchase 100 percent radiation-free LCD monitors. The website BlockEMF.com offers hundreds of EMF-preventing products, including four LCD monitors that the company guarantees to be completely free from radiation.

No, but their older counterparts, Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) monitors, do give off a small amount of radiation. The streams of electrons hitting the phosphor in the screen produce X-rays, but these are way below harmful levels.

A simple flat screen emits very low levels of EMF radiation. But the new generations of smart TVs emit stronger EMF signals. They will often emit both radio frequencies (RF) and Bluetooth radiation.

Before we can answer this question in more dept we need to know exactly what we are talking about. We have several different types of TVs and there are older and newer generations.

These old TVs actually emit low levels of X-ray radiation, which is much more dangerous than the other types of your EMFs we are concerned with from newer screens.

LCD TVs were the first types of flat screens to enter the market after we went away from the old bulky TVs we mentioned above. They are still found in many homes and they are filled around the fluorescent technology.

It’s simply not possible to switch off the Bluetooth and the RF signal to a smart TV. It will always be emitting RF radiation because it will constantly search for or communicate with Wi-Fi routers in your room.

This is also why it is constantly listening to the conversations in your room. Much like the digital assistance from Amazon (Alexa) and Google (Home) and Apple (Siri), a smart TV will be listening to all your conversations. If you don’t believe this you can check the manual that came with your TV.

This is always the option we recommend. The computer monitor is the best choice when you want a radiation-free TV in your living room or your bedroom.

We need to talk about ELF radiation and RF radiation separately. If you don’t know the difference you can start by reading the article we have written here about ELF and RF radiation.

Basically, ELF radiation is coming from the electronics inside the TV such as the transformer that generates power for the TV. The RF radiation, on the other hand, is coming from the countless wireless signals we have around modern smart TVs.

Plasma TVs do use much more energy than the two previous TV-technologies: CRT and LCD screens. So you need to pay attention to the electromagnetic fields close to the screen.

But as with all electronics, as soon as you add a few feet of distance to the screen you will quickly minimize the level of ELF radiation (we have an article here with more info about what ELF radiation is).

This is because the radiation levels are following what we call the inverse-square law. It states, that every time you double your distance to the source of the radiation (the TV in this case) you will lower the amount of radiation four times.

So we don’t have to be too concerned about the EMF levels coming from the electronics inside the TV and the screen itself. As long as we remember to not sit directly in front of the screen. We always need to add at least 4-5 feet distance to the screen (which shouldn’t be a problem as we have giant screens today).

RF radiation is radio frequency radiation which we typically find around routers, cellular signals, and Bluetooth technologies. If you want to know all the basics about this type of radiation we have written a good solid article here about RF radiation.

All smart TVs will constantly send out a signal in order to connect to a Wi-Fi router. It doesn’t matter whether it actually connects to the router or it is just looking for it. The radiation will be constant and you cannot turn this off (on any smart TVs we have seen, at least).

It would also send out a Bluetooth signal in order to connect to other wireless devices. This signal is also RF radiation even though it is typically a weaker signal than The Wi-Fi signal.

It’s important to keep your distance to smart TVs for this reason because it will emit radiation close to the same levels as a small router. That’s why we strongly advise you to get rid of the smart TV and use a dumb computer monitor instead.

It’s always better to get rid of any electronic device inside our homes that constantly emit RF radiation. The smart TV is definitely high up on this list.

Even though you keep your distance to the TV, you might still be exposed to the RF and Bluetooth radiation. If you have a device close to you which is connecting with the TV it will create a two-way communication line with the TV (and probably your router as well).

This is the case when you are using your phone as a remote control for the TV. This can be done in several ways like with the chrome cast technology or similar wireless solutions.

Some smart TVs have the option of inserting an ethernet cable directly into the TV. But more often than not, this won’t disable or turn off the Wi-Fi signal. So all you get this set bit more speed on the connection to the router. The EMF levels will typically stay the same because you cannot switch off the wireless signal from the TV.

Plasma TVs are quickly being phased out of the market. All the biggest manufacturers have moved on from this technology several years ago. When you buy a flat screen today it’s most likely LED or OLED.

More often than not, there’s no easy way to get rid of the dirty electricity around the plasma TV. You will simply have to throw it out and get a new one if you are affected by this.

That doesn’t mean that you cannot open the thing yourself and cut off the wire that goes to the Wi-Fi transmitter. That’s what I would do (but I don’t have a TV at all I use my computer for Netflix).

You should only do this if you know what you’re doing and you should know that this is not something we advise you to do. Everything you can see in the video below should be done at your own risk. We cannot guarantee that it will work unless you find the right cord.

It’s a pretty drastic step to open the TV and cut the wires yourself but sometimes that the only way to turn off the Wi-Fi signal. It’s a really stupid design and what are we left to do if we want to get rid of these signals?

Personally, I’m a big fan of taking the matter into my own hands. I want the newest tech but I also want to keep myself and my family safe from EF and other types of radiation in my home. It’s simply stupid that you cannot turn off the Wi-Fi signal even when you’re inserting an ethernet cable.

The only other option you are left with is to get an EMF meter and make sure you do some readings on the TV before you buy it. You might be able to find a TV where you can switch off the RF radiation. But you shouldn’t take anybody’s word for it. Even though it says on the screen that you are switching off the wireless signal you might still find that it emits full speed.

The sales person at your local Best Buy store might not know anything about RF and Bluetooth radiation either. So don’t even bother asking. They will just give you a long speech on how this is not dangerous because they read an article over at Bloomberg or NYtimes.

The problems arise when we are dealing with smart TVs and other types of computer screens that connect wirelessly to other devices such as our router.

This is definitely the easiest solution for you if you don’t want to open the TV and dismantle the Wi-Fi device as we showed in the video above. It can be dangerous to open TV screens and computer monitors and it’s definitely not something we advise you do unless you know what you do or can get help from an electrical engineer.

Be aware that the resolution on computer screens are often much higher than on TV screens. They were also many times be cheaper because people are willing to pay more for TVs than they will for computer monitors.

It’s impossible for us to list all the different types of TVs and how much EMF radiation they emit. There’s simply too many brands and models for us to cover them all.

So your best option here is to do your own readings. Luckily, the EMF meters we need to do this have become pretty popular and therefore more affordable. For around $200 you will get a very good EMF meter that is also being used by experts, scientists, and building biologist.

I really like this EMF meter because it has a very user-friendly interface and is easy to use. On top of that, it’s pretty accurate and you can measure RF radiation (wifi, smartphones, laptops, Bluetooth, etc.) as well as magnetic and electric fields.

The Cornet ED88T Plus is the newest EMF meter from Cornet and it’s just great. You can read more about it here in our short review. Here’s a link to see the prices on Amazon.

Some new generations of smart TVs will still emit RF radiation from the wifi and Bluetooth signals on standby mode. We also have electric fields as soon as the power cord is attached to the socket. When we disconnect the power cord we eliminate all radiation.

When the TV is turned off you will often have the wifi signal and the Bluetooth signal turned on as well. As long as the TV is set to standby mode. The only way to stop these signals is typically to pull out the power cord. As soon as you do that you won’t have any radiation from the Wi-Fi and the Bluetooth signals.

So, in order to eliminate the radiation altogether, you typically need to remove the power cord to the TV. As soon as you do that you will have removed all radiation.

The radiation from an infrared remote control is much less than the radiation from a remote control using radio frequencies. So you should always go for an infrared remote control whenever you have the option.

If you try to do the same thing with remote controls using radio frequencies you will be able to point it anywhere you want to.  The TV will pick up the signal anyway. This is because radio frequencies (RF) are being emitted in all directions from the source and therefore the receiver will be able to pick it up.

You might be able to choose which technology you want to use with the remote control. When you go into the settings on your smart TV (or your dumb TV) you might be able to switch between infrared and radiofrequency technology. This is also something you can find out before you bring the TV home from the store.

The same goes for the latest versions of Samsung’s TV sets. You cannot turn off the signal which is the big problem if you want to get rid of EMF radiation in your home. You might still be able to find earlier versions of Samsung TVs (used) where you can actually turn off the Wi-Fi signal as you plug in the ethernet cable instead.

When we are talking about gaming consoles, it’s important to always get them with a wired hand controller. You will often be able to choose between our wireless and a wired controller.

We want to get rid of as many wireless devices as we can because they always rely on either Wi-Fi signals or Bluetooth signals. Unless we are talking about infra-red remote controllers (see above).

You should also be aware that the gaming console itself (the main box) typically emit very strong RF radiation in all directions. The worst among the gaming consoles when it comes to EMF radiation is the Xbox. It sends out loads of EMFs even though it’s turned to sleep mode or standby. If you like your gaming consoles you should read our article here on EMF around the Xbox.

You can do this from the menu inside a web browser but you will no longer have support from the Sonos company and you won’t be able to control the whole thing from your smartphone.

The last thing we have to look at and this article is in relation to the blue light from the screen. We get blue light from computer screens as well as TV screens, smartphones, tablets, and other devices with screens.

Several TV screens will give you the option to change the lighting on the screen. You will probably find a setting where you can tone down the blue light in order to create a better viewing experience before bedtime.

They are developed by Daniel Debaun who also wrote the excellent book “Radiation Nation”. It’s a great book for anyone wants to get into EMFs and educate themselves a little bit more. You can get the book at Daniels store here.

Man cannot escape exposure to some radiation. We are surrounded by natural radioactivity in the earth and by cosmic rays from outer space. This is called background radiation and cannot be controlled. We are also exposed to manmade radiation, which can and must be controlled.

Much of the manmade radiation people are exposed to comes from electronic products. These include diagnostic x-ray machines, television sets, microwave ovens, radar devices, and lasers. In some cases, as with diagnostic x-rays, radiation emitted from these devices is intentional and serves a useful purpose. In others, as with TV sets, radiation emitted is not intentional and is not essential to the use of the product.

X-rays may be produced when electrons, accelerated by high voltage, strike an obstacle while traveling in a vacuum, as in a TV containing a cathode ray tube (CRT). Since many of the components in television sets operate at thousands of volts, there is the potential for x-ray generation. These components may produce x-rays capable of escaping from the television receiver or CRT. This unintentional emission of x-radiation can pose a potential hazard and must be controlled.

Scientists have not identified specific health effects resulting from exposure to extremely low doses of low-level radiation over prolonged periods of time. However, the current assumption is that there is no threshold of exposure below which x-radiation may not adversely effect human health. It is advisable, therefore, that x-radiation from TV sets, as well as other commonly used electronic products, be kept as low as reasonably achievable. It was for this purpose that Congress enacted the Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1968 (currently called Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act – Subchapter C – Electronic Product Radiation Control).

It should be emphasized that most TV sets have not been found to give off any measurable level of radiation, and there is no evidence that radiation from TV sets has resulted in human injury.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has the responsibility for carrying out an electronic product radiation control program mandated by the Electronic Product Radiation Control provisions of the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act. Through it"s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, FDA sets and enforces standards of performance for electronic products to assure that radiation emissions do not pose a hazard to public health.

A Federal standard limiting x-ray emissions from TV receivers to 0.5 milliroentgen per hour (mR/hr) was issued on December 25, 1969. The standard is applicable to all TV sets manufactured after January 15, 1970. The overall effect of the standard is to require that TV receivers must not emit x-radiation above the 0.5 mR/hr level when tested under adverse operating conditions. Test conditions do not represent normal use and ensure that when used under normal conditions, TV sets do not pose a radiation hazard.

Manufacturers of television receivers and computer monitors contain CRTs must certify that their products meets performance standard under Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1020.10. All TV manufacturers must submit written radiation safety reports to FDA outlining how they assure that each set coming off the assembly line complies with the Federal x-ray radiation limit. These reports contain a description of the manufacturer’s quality control and testing program and the television radiation safety design. Manufacturers also must maintain records of test data and prepare an annual report to FDA summarizing these records. The FDA has the authority to ask for radiation safety data including results of x-ray leakage from selected sets to determine compliance with the standard.

Television receivers imported into the United States, which do not meet the standard are not allowed into the country and are destroyed if not exported in 90 days. Importers, however, may petition FDA for permission to correct the violations.

X-radiation emissions from properly operated TV sets and computer monitors containing CRTs are well controlled and do not present a public health hazard. The FDA standard, and today’s technology, such as electronic hold-down safety circuits and regulated power supplies, have effectively eliminated the risk of x-radiation from these products. FDA has not found TVs that violate the standard under normal (home) use conditions.

It is important to note also that flat panel TVs incorporating Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD) or Plasma displays are not capable of emitting x-radiation. As such these products and are not subject to the FDA standard and do not pose a public health hazard.

In hindsight, the years leading up to 2016 were downright sleepy in comparison with what would follow. Donald Trump’s meteoric, tweet-powered rise to the presidency. The Cambridge Analytica scandal. Congressional hearings on privacy and bias. TikTok at the center of souring U.S.–China relations. Each new day brought a fresh wave of controversy the shores of once infallible social media platforms.

Today, the honeymoon phase is long over and the messiness of running a global social platform is now on full display. Nowhere is this more evident than Twitter during the current Elon Musk transitional period—but more details on that later.

The scale of Meta’s platforms still dominate thanks to their global reach, but there are a number of smaller networks fighting for market share. Here’s a look at popular platforms, organized from largest to smallest active userbase:

YouTube is the only true competition for Meta’s scale and reach. Alphabet’s video content hub with social features boasts more than two billion monthly active users. YouTube’s embrace of the creator economy is nudging the platform further into pure social media territory with the introduction of “handles”.

Today, there are also a number of smaller, special interest platforms. OnlyFans, for example, is focused on adult content creators. Parler and Truth Social appeal to users who want fewer constraints on the content they post and consume. BeReal aims to create more authentic moments by prompting users to post a photo at a random time each day.

Having a figurehead CEO is a double-edged sword. When things are going well, the market rallies around the successful leader. Case in point, Mark Zuckerberg was named Time’s Person of the Year in 2010. Even as recently as 2016, Glassdoor named the Facebook founder the “most admired tech CEO”.

On the flip side, when the tide turns, it turns fast. After a series of controversies, Zuckerberg took a multi-billion-dollar gamble by renaming his entire company Meta and pivoting its focus to the burgeoning idea of a metaverse. Meta’s New Horizons platform is rumored to have plateaued at about 200,000 active users, which is underwhelming for a company that still reaches a sizable slice of humanity with its other services.

Of course, it’s too early to know whether Zuckerberg’s gamble will pay off. As always, all is forgiven once a business unit takes off and becomes profitable.

The company was launched in the shadow of Facebook’s massive growth, and was saddled with expectations that were tough to meet. Although Twitter has an engaged and influential audience, it hasn’t managed to monetize them at the level of Meta’s platforms (for better or worse). The introduction of Twitter Blue in 2021 did not resonate with users at the scale the company hoped, and “fleets” were essentially written off as a failed experiment.

If reports of an exodus of talent and advertising dollars are to be believed, then the future of one of world’s most influential social media platforms could be at risk.

Social media has always been dominated by Facebook and its related apps. When a new challenger came along, Facebook either acquired it (Instagram, WhatsApp), or “acquired” their features (Snapchat). TikTok is the first challenger to keep its momentum and growth, even as Instagram rolled out very similar features.

TikTok is also a rare case of a Chinese tech product crossing over into Western markets. The ascendancy of TikTok was not without controversy though. Suspicion over Chinese access to user data continues to be an issue both in the U.S., and in other large markets around the world. TikTok has been banned in India since 2020.

Despite these headwinds, TikTok remains wildly popular. The short-form video platform was the number one downloaded app on the planet, and it remains a favorite of the all-important Gen Z demographic.

In recent years, neighborhood-based social networks have sprung up and gained traction. NextDoor used physical letters sent to adjacent addresses to supercharge its growth, while Neighbors piggybacked off the popularity of Ring’s doorbell cameras. Although members post about more benign topics such as lost cats and where to find a good plumber, crime is an increasingly common theme as well.

Apps like Neighbors and Citizen have a more overt focus on crime and safety. While the growth of these apps reflects an obvious interest preventing crime, critics point out that the ubiquity of personal surveillance equipment and forums built purely around public safety promote a culture of suspicion in communities.

The multi-billion-dollar question—is dissatisfaction with major platforms temporary, or will emerging networks like Mastodon or BeReal hit critical mass and become new staples for people connecting online. Time will tell.

Desktop computers don’t expose your reproductive organs to their EMF emissions directly like laptops do. This is because, to use desktops, you have to keep them at a certain distance. And since the power of EMF weakens as it travels, it’s fair to think that desktop computers are far safer than laptops. Right?

Well, it’s true to a certain degree. But desktop computers have their own set of problems, which we’ll discuss in-depth in this post. Besides that, we’ll also talk about things you can do to keep yourself on the safer side while using a desktop computer.

Most people don’t realize that visible light is also a form of EMF. It lies in the mid-section of the electromagnetic spectrum, and it’s the only kind of EMF that we can see with our naked eyes.

Your laptop screen or desktop monitor emits visible light to project whatever you’re doing on it. At any given time, your computer screen emits around 400 to 800 THz of EMF in the form of visible light.

The WiFi antenna in your computer emits radiofrequency radiation to connect with the WiFi router. This electromagnetic field operates on frequencies ranging from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz.

Extremely low frequency or ELF radiation comes from the electronic circuitry inside the machine. And in the case of desktops, the wires and cables also produce this radiation.

Even though laptop and desktop computers emit the same types of electromagnetic fields, the amount in which they produce these radiations is not the same. Research says that desktop computers actually produce significantly more EMFs than laptops.

Desktops are bigger, contain larger hardware components, and require more cables than a laptop. So naturally, they will give off more EMF than their compact counterparts.

Almost all electronic gadget manufacturers advise you to keep their devices a specific distance away from your body. They do this because your EMF exposure exceeds legal limits when you use and carry devices like cell phones and laptops close to your body.

Your endocrine system plays an extremely vital role in your body. From balancing your mood and generating appropriate responses to controlling your height and weight, almost all functions are hormone-regulated.

Experts say that exposing your body to a huge volume of EMF disrupts your endocrine system, due to which your body can’t produce the necessary hormones properly.

At any given moment, there needs to be a healthy balance between free radicals and antioxidants. And if there isn’t, you’ll be prone to developing oxidative stress, which can cause problems ranging from heart diseases and diabetes to sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction.

It’s clear that desktop computers expose you to a large amount of EMF which can make you extremely sick. But the good news is, there are things you can do to mitigate your exposure exponentially without having to quit your computer use. Here are some of them:

When electricity flows inside the cables, it generates an extremely low frequency (ELF) field, which comes out of the wires, and occupies around eight feet of space.

When connected to WiFi, your computer has to emit large amounts of EMF to keep the connection stable with the router. And since EMF doesn’t travel linearly, you’ll get caught between that transmission.

See, when your internet travels to the router using an ethernet cable, most of the EMF stays inside. This will significantly reduce your EMF exposure. And since we’re talking about desktops, using an ethernet connection is convenient too.

Besides that, wired internet is faster, more stable, and a lot more secure than WiFi. I’ve written a separate post on the benefits of a wired internet connection, with simple instructions on how you can install it yourself. So, check it out.

But these accessories are not without a downside. Most of these products either use Bluetooth or RF (radiofrequency) to connect with your computer. And having that many wirelessly connected devices in front of you is not exactly good for your health.

We have a lot of products in our store to help you with this, like the SYB Baby Blanket, SYB Cap, and the SYB Neck Gaiter. So, give the Shield Your Body store a visit. We have laboratory-tested high-quality EMF shielding products for all your requirements.

While working on desktop computers, EMF exposure isn’t the only problem. Your chair, the way you sit, your monitor’s position… if you don’t have your setup right, you’ll suffer some major physical discomforts.

It’s certainly tempting to buy the first decent-looking office chair you can find. After all, it’s just a chair, and if you can sit on it, what else do you need, right?

But, we’re talking about something on which you’ll spend several hours a day. And cheap chairs are never ergonomic or comfortable. If you use one for a long time, you may develop problems like neck and back pain. Long-term, it might even lead to surgical-level injuries.

Also, never place your keyboard and mouse on different levels. If you do this, you’ll have to keep moving your arms which can cause musculoskeletal injuries.

Height: There isn’t an exact number because it depends on the user’s height. But, if you have to tilt your chin down, or look up at your screen, then it’s not the correct setup. Make sure that your monitor is at your eye level.

Viewing distance: Your monitor should be positioned at least 20 inches or 51 centimeters from your eyes. If you’re eyeballing, it’s about an arm’s length. Although, if your screen is larger, you will need to add more distance.

Taking even 5 minutes break every hour will allow you to take your mind off your task and think about other things. This way, you can better focus on whatever you’re doing.

Working continuously is also bad for your physical health. Your body needs a little bit of stretching after sitting for some time. And if you don’t give it that, you put yourself at the risk of developing some serious physiological problems.

If you’re thinking about what to choose between a laptop and a desktop, I’d say go for a desktop. I get that they emit more EMF than laptops, but you also have more control over your machine.

But if you already have a laptop and don’t want to shift to a desktop anytime soon, I’d suggest you visit my post on mitigating EMF exposure from laptops.

In this post, I’ll address questions that usually don’t get answered by tablet manufacturers, like how prolonged use of tablets contributes to unwanted health changes. We’ll also look at how to protect yourself from the harmful effects of EMF – without having to give up the use of your gadgets – later in this post.

They serve different functions. One may be superior or inferior to the other in many ways, but all these devices have one thing in common – the ability to connect to a network. And anything that connects wireless is a source of electromagnetic radiation.

Most tablets rely on WiFi and Bluetooth connections to function. WiFi and Bluetooth are both designed to communicate over a significantly shorter range than regular cell connections. Because of this, the tablets don’t need to produce EMF in massive amounts to establish a connection.

Sometimes the nearest network tower stands miles away from the device. But cell phones are designed to provide you a usable connection even in low network areas. For this, phones emit more EMF than usual to communicate with the tower and give you a stable connection.

But what about tablets that enable cellular connectivity? For example, what’s known as a ‘calling tablet’, or the Apple iPad? Because these can use a cellular network either to connect to the internet or to make calls, the level of EMF exposure will be similar to that of a cell phone user.

And even if you avoid using cellular connections, this doesn’t mean that there are no health effects of using tablets. Even though WiFi and Bluetooth have a smaller range and non-cellular tablets emit less EMF than cell phones, the volume they emit is enough to initiate adverse health issues.

Like cell phones, people hold tablets close to their body while using them. This is logical as tablets are basically cell phones with a much larger screen. But experts highly recommend against doing this, as the power of EMF is strongest near the source. And exposure to EMF of that strength can be dangerous.

For example, tablet users are known to press a lot harder on the screen keyboard because of the lack of tactile feedback. And the users sometimes strain their wrist, fingers, and forearms doing this.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, or CTS, is the condition where the “tunnel” of bones and ligaments in the wrist narrows down. The narrowed tunnel pinches a nerve and causes a tingly feeling or numbness in the hand, especially in the thumb and first three fingers.

SAR refers to how much EMF radiation your tissue absorbs while using an electronic device. Meaning, if the device emits more EMF than the SAR limits allow, the government considers it harmful for consumers.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that the SAR rating of a device is actually the precise amount of radiation you will be exposed to from your device. That’s because there are many problems with how SAR is used in regulations, as I discuss in this video.

One thing you can do to lower your EMF exposure is to turn off your tablet or put it in flight mode when you’re not using it. For example, e-readers like the Kindle can be read offline – so you only need to connect them to the network when you want to update them.

The SYB Tablet Pad blocks both ELF and RF radiation. And it works with iPads, tablets, Nintendo Switches, e-readers, and all portable devices. As with all our shielding products, the SYB Tablet Pad is designed to shield only on one side, so it doesn’t interfere with your device’s reception or battery life.

The SYB Tablet Pad deflects up to 99% of your device’s radiation and prevents it from entering your body. It even works on 5G. We’ve tested it to be efficient in shielding EMF operating on a frequency of up to 20 GHz.

The SYB Tablet Pad is the perfect solution for protecting yourself while you use your device. Simply put it beneath your tablet when you use it, so your lower body is protected from EMF. But what about when you’re carrying your tablet around?

Yes, tablets do emit EMF radiation. There are two kinds of EMF that tablets emit, ELF (extremely low frequency) and RF (radio frequency). ELF-EMF is created by the movement of electricity in the tablet’s circuitry. RF-EMF comes into effect when you connect your tablet to networks such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and cellular.

Video display products that contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs) can give off x-rays. The CRT is a specialized vacuum tube that receives and displays images on an electronic screen. Most modern computers monitors and televisions (TVs) today use liquid crystal display (LCD), Light-emitting diodes (LED), or plasma.

In the early 1960s, some TVs with CRTs were found to emit excessive x-radiation, and a federal performance standard was created to protect the public from this hazard. Today, electronic technology for TVs and computer monitors with CRTs has changed so drastically that the level of risk of x-ray exposure is almost non-existent. Manufacturers of products that use CRTs must certify that their products comply with the federal performance standard for the life of the product.

TV receivers and computer monitors containing CRTs no longer pose a risk of emitting any x-radiation. Since the creation of the federal performance standard, the FDA has tested hundreds of TV receivers and computer monitors and rarely encountered any that were unsafe.

Manufacturers of electronic radiation emitting products sold in the United States are responsible for compliance with the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), Chapter V, Subchapter C - Electronic Product Radiation Control.

Manufacturers of televisions and video display products are responsible for compliance with all applicable requirements of Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (Subchapter J, Radiological Health) Parts 1000 through 1005:

In addition, TV receivers and monitors with CRTs must comply with radiation safety performance standards in Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (Subchapter J, Radiological Health) Parts 1010 and 1020:

And aside from smart meters, computers, and cellphones, laptops belong to the group of devices that pose the highest risk of EMF radiation exposure because of how often they are used.

Before I get into the details of this article, I’d just want to give you a brief warning, this is going to be a comprehensive guide on radiation that laptops produce, so it’s going to be quite long.

So let’s get a little bit further in the aspect of electric field and magnetic field radiation then we will get into the details of the radio frequency or RF radiation.

Using a quality meter that measures EMF like the Trifield TF2, you’ll be able to see that many electronic devices actually emit a certain amount of magnetic field radiation.

That’s the reason why radiation from a device such as a laptop, for instance, should concern anyone especially because of its proximity to our body whenever we’re using it.

In the case of the magnetic fields, you should be able to notice that the EMF meter would read more radiation on the laptop monitor and from a certain portion of the base section.

A study published by the Long Island Power Authority has revealed the radiation that comes from a magnetic field emitted by different home appliances at various distances.

These findings alone should tell you that laptops really emit magnetic field radiations that are concerning, to say the least because of the really small safety margins.

Another source of the magnetic field and EMF radiations in a laptop are all the electronic stuff that is found on the device’s body especially the power inverter and the motherboard.

WiFi Radiation coming from the wireless card is going to emit a particular level of RF radiation especially when the laptop gets connected to the WiFi.

To give you an idea of how much RF radiation a laptop emits, I tested a 2016 model of a MacBook Pro which has a 15″ screen size and I tested it to see the radiation levels.

So the peak number on the EMF meter (in case it has one) will actually give a more accurate reading of the radiation and that is exactly how I obtained the results that are listed above.

The readings also show that as you gain distance from your laptop, radiation exposure also decreases dramatically. But this can be a tough thing to do.

Whether there are currently any Bluetooth devices that are connected to your laptop or not, it will still give off some Radio Frequency (RF) radiation as it looks for devices to connect to.

Now that we’ve already talked about the different sources of EMF radiation on laptops, it is time to talk about the dangers and risks that it poses to users.

One of the most common concerns that people have about laptops is the effect that it poses on fertility especially when one is fond of using it on their stomach or lap.

One thing that they are worried about is the heat that it produces and there are laptops that can go extremely hot which can cause damage to the sperm over time.

However, there’s even more concern that others consider crucial and it is on the effect of the EMF radiation at extremely close proximity especially when a laptop is used on the lap.

Another study that has been performed on radiation from cellphones produced similar EMF radiation amounts to that when you’re using your laptop on your lap.

This decrease in different parameters was dependent on how long the person is exposed to the radiation and was independent of the initial quality of the semen.

In 2013, a study that has been published in the Journal of Fertilization by Duke University has demonstrated the relationship between the exposure to computer and cellphone radiation to the increased chance of miscarriage.

It is therefore important to avoid placing a laptop on your belly when using it or using any other device that emits EMF radiation while you are pregnant.

But the main concern here is the damage that EMF radiation can inflict especially when it is at its cumulative form so you should do all your best to reduce your exposure to it.

Put in mind that the damage which laptop radiation can inflict through its EMF emission is cumulative by nature. The lesser amount of time that you are exposed to it, the lower the danger you’ll encounter.

The effects of prolonged exposure won’t show immediately unless you are “electro-hypertensive” – those people who immediately feel the symptoms that occur physically due to exposure to EMF radiation.

There are people who consider exposure to EMF radiation as a very bad thing as they expect immediate effects but it’s important to remember that most of us are going to be exposed to some form of EMF radiation most of the time.

We can still enjoy using it but if you want to be on the safe side and feel better all the time, lowering exposure to the radiation that it emits is the best thing to do!

There are plenty of radiation shields and cases for laptops out there but there’s one particular brand that I like most which I will tell more about as we move along in this point.

Radiation shields for laptops work perfectly when you’re using it while sitting on the couch or if you’re fond of putting it on your belly or lap but you should also use it even when you’re on your machine while sitting in your office table or desk.

Most desks are not made to block radiation so don’t ever think that you’re already protected against radiation just because your laptop is a few inches away from your lap and is sitting on the desk.

Many laptops provide a button for doing this but in case yours don’t have, the user interface of the operating system should have a switch that you can click to simply turn off WiFi on your device.

Doing this effectively lowers your exposure to EMF radiation which your laptop emits because of the fact that it eliminates your exposure to Radio Frequency radiation.

These are only a few of the ideas that you can adapt and there are still more that you can do. Just remember that the goal is really to lower your exposure to EMF radiation.

That doesn’t mean that you shut your life off from using these devices, instead, you just need to make sure that you’re finding ways to moderate exposure to the radiation that they produce.

I do hope that this guide provided some helpful tips and bits of information to help you combat radiation and if you loved it, please consider sharing it with the people whom you care the most!

iPads and Tablets Emit Microwave Radiation: Wireless iPads and tablets emit constant bursts of pulsed wireless microwave radiation also known as radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic radiation. Microwave bursts can be happening about every 4 seconds or up to 900 times every hour.

Tablets have up to 5 transmitter antennas emitting radiation as a beacon signal that transmits even when the internet is NOT being used. Yes, the radiation intensity is stronger when you are using the internet with a Wi-Fi connection, however, the radiation does not automatically stop when you work offline. The bursts continue because the tablet antennas “check in” with what is called a “digital handshake” to the base network which is usually a Wi-Fi router or hotspot, or a nearby cell tower. If the network signal strength is low then the tablet’s radiation burst is higher. This digital handshake continuously repeats.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, which is the largest organization of pediatricians in the United States, has repeatedly warned of children’s greater vulnerability to this wireless radiation and recommends that families reduce exposure. For example, one of their Ten Tips to reduce exposure includes, “If you plan to watch a movie on your device, download it first, then switch to airplane mode while you watch in order to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure.” Worldwide  many medical organizations are cautioning the public to minimize wireless exposures. TheNew Jersey Education Association, and the Maryland State Expert Council on Children’s Environmental Health Protection recommends reducing exposure in classrooms.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer of the World Health Organizationclassified radiofrequency as a Class 2B Possible Carcinogen in 2011, and since that date scientific evidence has increased so much that long-time advisors to the World Health Organization are calling for a reclassification-  to Class 1 Human Carcinogen. The $25 million US National Toxicology Program study has linked radiofrequency radiation exposure to cancer, replicating findings of the same tumor types in human studies. DNA damage was also found.

Peer reviewed studies also have found a myriad of other problems from increased headaches and sleep problems to damage to reproduction and brain development. For example, studies have found that Wi-Fi radiation damages sperm, even at very low doses. Rats exposed to wireless had more damaged brain cells than unexposed rats. Connections between this radiation and autism and ADHD have lead to doctors advising reduced exposure in schools nationwide. Doctors are very c