Welcome to HOC the WiFi!  

HOC the Wifi has been created to provide a combined voice for parents to raise concerns with their children’s schools use of WiFi (Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation) connections in schools.

The usual response parents receive from the school, is the school use of Wifi and Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Radiation (RF EMFs) meet Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) Standard, set in 2002.  This follows the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) Guidelines, which were set in 1998.  These standards set in 1998 and 2002, have been superseded by current scientific research that RF EMFs inducing Biological Effects (changes in the human body) impact on development and health.

Due to this scientific research many other countries have rejected the ICNIRP standard and have reduced exposure limits to 1% (100mw/m2) or less. In addition, some countries are issuing warnings to reduce children’s exposure, and removing WiFi from schools.  However, Australia still follows the international exposure limit (3 500- 10 000mW/m2).  Up to 40% of the worlds population have lower exposure limits than Australia’s.

In 2008 the Australian Government announced the Digital Revolution. A commitment to provide laptops to all public high school students from years 9-12 and deploy high speed broadband to all Australian schools. However, in 2011 the World Health Organisation International Agency for Research for Cancer (WHO IARC)  classified RF EMF as possibly carcinogenic.  This has left Australian schools heavily invested in the chosen wireless connections and at odds with continued scientific research.