Don’t worry, consumers: It’s all in the fine print

While cell-phone manufacturers have vigorously resisted state and local government attempts to require warning signs about radiation exposure, their own user manuals advise caution about carrying or holding the phone close to your body while it’s transmitting — though the warnings typically are cast in opaque language and buried deep in the tiny print. Examples of such warnings have included:

APPLE IPHONE 6

“To reduce exposure to RF energy, use a hands-free option, such as the built-in speakerphone, the supplied headphones or other similar accessories. ... Carry iPhone at least 5 mm away from your body to ensure exposure levels remain at or below the as-tested levels.”

MOTOROLA

“If you wear the mobile device on your body, always place the mobile device in a Motorola-supplied or approved clip, holder, holster, case or body harness. If you do not use a body-worn accessory supplied or approved by Motorola, keep the mobile device and its antenna at least 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) from your body when transmitting.”

SAMSUNG

“For body-worn operation, this phone has been tested and meets FCC RF exposure guidelines when used with an accessory that contains no metal and that positions the handset a minimum of 1.5 cm from the body.”

LG

“To comply with FCC RF exposure requirements, a minimum separation distance of 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) must be maintained between the user’s body and the back of the phone.”

BLACKBERRY

“Use hands-free operation if it is available and keep the BlackBerry device at least 0.59 inches (15 mm) from your body (including the abdomen of pregnant women and the lower abdomen of teenagers) when the BlackBerry device is turned on and connected to a wireless network.”