Environmental Health Trust participated in the Session on Wireless and Health. Please see the video of the presentation here. 

Full Conference Proceedings

Introductions and Welcome

Co-Keynote #1: The Changing Media Landscape — Russell Newman, PhD

Russell Newman, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Digital Media and Culture, Emerson College, and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, Boston, Mass. Dr. Newman’s work explores the intersections of the political economies of media and surveillance, neoliberalism, the epistemological foundations of media policymaking, and activism surrounding communications policy. He is author of The Paradoxes of Network Neutralities (MIT Press, 2019) which explores the deep connections of open access and net neutrality debates with neoliberalism and draws lessons for activism in the US. His work addresses what has become known as ‘surveillance capitalism’ and the connections with the neoliberal project, and the challenges for future reform. Dr. Newman earned his Ph.D. at the Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication at the University of Southern California. He previously served as Research and Campaign Director for the national nonprofit advocacy group Free Press, and co-edited The Future of Media: Resistance and Reform in the 21st Century (Seven Stories Press, 2005).

Co-Keynote #2: Racial Bias in Technology — Ruha Benjamin, PhD

Ruha Benjamin is the Assistant Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University. Her work investigates the social dimensions of science, technology, and medicine, with a focus on the tension between innovation and inequity. She founded the Just Data Lab, which aims to bring together activists, technologists and artists to reassess how data can be used for justice. Her latest book, Race After Technology, looks at machine bias, discriminatory design, and liberatory approaches to technoscience. Ruha is the author of People’s Science: Bodies and Rights on the Stem Cell Frontier, and is editor of Captivating Technology, which examines how carceral logics shape social life well beyond prisons and police.

Co-Keynote #3: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America — Mickey Huff

Mickey Huff is Director of Project Censored, president of the Media Freedom Foundation, professor of social science and history, co-chair of history and journalism depts. at Diablo Valley College and lecturer in communications at California State University, East Bay. He has also taught sociology of media at Sonoma State University. Huff is co-author of the recently published United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And What You Can Do About It) and co-editor of eleven volumes of the annual media literacy handbook Censored. Additionally, he has coauthored chapters on media and propaganda for many scholarly publications. He hosts the weekly Project Censored Radio Show, from the historic studios of KPFA Pacifica Radio which airs on over 40 stations across the country.

Session #2: Health Impacts of Wireless Technology and 5G

Cindy Russell, M.D. (Executive Director of Physicians for Safe Technology) is a plastic surgeon in Mountain View, California. She completed her residency training at Stanford University Medical Center. Treating breast cancer patients and witnessing the epidemic of breast cancer over the last 30 years, she became interested in public health and the root causes of chronic illness along with prevention strategies. Dr. Russell has been Chair of the Santa Clara County Medical Association (SCCMA/MCMS) Environmental Health Committee since 1995 and has been VP of Community Health for the SCCMA/MCMS since 2010. During that time she has authored policy resolutions related to reducing environmental toxins at the California Medical Association House of Delegates. In 2001 she led the effort to pass the Santa Clara County Integrated Pest Management ordinance to reduce pesticide exposure on County property.

Theodora Scarato (Executive Director of Environmental Health Trust) is a lead policy analyst and researcher who maintains the comprehensive EHT database on international policy that documents the 20+ nations that have protective policies in place to reduce public exposure to cell phone and wireless radiation.She also coordinates scientific programs in the US and internationally with EHTs Senior Science Advisors. She co-founded several organizations that address environmental health and safety concerns, after two decades of working with children and adolescents as a clinical psychotherapist in intensive special education therapy. Her research interests

include not only the effects from radiation exposures but also the social emotional effects of technology overuse. Ellie Marks (Executive Director of California Brain Tumor Association) became active after her husband was diagnosed with a malignant brain cancer which has been attributed to his cell phone use. Ellie has testified to Congress and has appeared on the Dr. Oz Show, Larry King Live, and many other national newscasts. Ellie is an outspoken advocate for educating, advocating, and legislating nationwide. Ellie is one of the lead authors of a legislative Briefing Book, which has been translated into 8 languages worldwide. Her work focuses on prevention of primary brain tumors which are caused by electromagnetic radiation.

 

Session #3: Screen Addiction and Mass Media Effects

Dr. Victoria L. Dunckley is a Board-Certified psychiatrist in Los Angeles, California with a special focus on the physiological impact of screen-time on the developing nervous system, mood, focus, sleep, and behavior. She has found that screen-time can overstimulate and stress the developing nervous system, particularly in children with vulnerabilities. She is author of Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time. She is currently involved in research looking at the impact of screen-time on the development and severity of autism.

Video shown is from her website: https://drdunckley.com/reset-your-childs-brain/

Dr. Kardaras is an Ivy-League educated psychologist, an internationally renowned speaker, and one of the country’s foremost addiction experts who has clinically worked with over 2,000 clients over the past 20 years. A former Clinical Professor at Stony Brook Medicine where he specialized in teaching the neurophysiology and treatment of addiction, he is currently the Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Maui Recovery in Hawaii, Omega Recovery in Austin, and the Launch House in NY. This is one of three presentations as part of: “Humanity at a Crossroads: New Insights Into Technology Risks for Humans and the Planet”, Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco, December 3, 2019

Video is from https://electromagnetichealth.org/electromagnetic-health-blog/humanity-crossroads-video/

Session #4: Unplugging and Other Practices for Tech-Life Balance

Tiffany Shlain is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker, speaker, and Webby Awards Founder. Tiffany Shlain has received over 80 awards and distinctions for her films and work, being acknowledged by Newsweek as “one of the women shaping the 21st Century.” She has also premiered four films at Sundance, including her acclaimed feature documentary Connected: An Autobiography about Love, Death & Technology. The US State Department has selected four of Shlain’s films including Connected to represent the U.S. at embassies around the world for their American Film Showcase.Tiffany’s film 50/50: Rethinking the Past, Present, and Future of Women + Power, premiered live at TEDWomen, at 275 TEDx’s globally. Her whole list of films can be seen here. Tiffany is also a renowned speaker and has given keynotes at Google, Harvard and NASA. In 2019 she published a practical and popular book: 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day a Week. Cecelia Doucette (Founder and Communications Director of Wireless Education) discovered wireless tech brings biological risks, she shifted her career to study the issue, educate the public and affect policy change. She helped Ashland Public Schools in Massachusetts become the first in the nation to implement Best Practices for Mobile Devices. Her non- profit, Wireless Education has distilled independent scientific literature and medical advisories into 40-minute online courses for Schools & Families and Corporate Safety Induction. She has been featured in films Generation Zapped and Wi-Fi Refugees. She also collaborated with the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health to address wireless radiation and public health. Mass. now leads the U.S. with eight bills.

Session #5 PT. 1: The Changing Internet and the Future of News and Media with Dr. Rob Williams

Dr. Rob Williams and co-organizer Amber Yang discuss the current media system, media propaganda, the current COVID-19 pandemic, and the importance of local news journalism. Dr. Rob Williams teaches global studies, media and communications courses at Champlain College and the University of Vermont. He is the founding president of the Action Coalition for Media Education (ACME). In his classes, he focuses on media education tools—employing hands-on learning, with an emphasis on “blogocentric pedagogy” and use of social media platforms like Blogger, Twitter and YouTube to create class conversations and produce collaborative work, and to encourage students to find their individual voices in the emerging world of digital media convergence. He recently published The Post (Truth) World: Fighting Fake News with 21st Center “Propaganda Model” for our Digital Age. Rob serves as publisher of Vermont Commons: Voices of Independence newspaper. He is also a leader of student travel trips to China, the Middle East and other distant lands.

Session #5 PT. 2: The Changing Internet and The Future of News and Media Panel

Eliot Peper is a science fiction novelist based in Oakland, CA. He writes speculative thrillers that explore the intersection of technology and culture. He is author of Veil, Breach, Borderless, Bandwidth, Cumulus, Neon Fever Dream, and the Uncommon Series. His books have been praised by The New York Times Book Review, Popular Science, Businessweek, San Francisco Magazine, io9, Boing Boing, and Ars Technica. As an independent consultant, Eliot helps leaders think differently about the future and how to create change. He’s created award-winning websites, survived dengue fever, translated Virgil’s Aeneid from the original Latin, wandered the ancient Himalayan kingdom of Mustang, and spoken at Google, Comic Con, and SXSW. Mickey Huff is Director of Project Censored, president of the Media Freedom Foundation, professor of social science and history, co-chair of history and journalism depts. at Diablo Valley College and lecturer in communications at California State University, East Bay. He has also taught sociology of media at Sonoma State University. Huff is co-author of the recently published United States of Distraction: Media Manipulation in Post-Truth America (And What You Can Do About It) and co-editor of eleven volumes of the annual media literacy handbook Censored. Additionally, he has coauthored chapters on media and propaganda for many scholarly publications. He hosts the weekly Project Censored Radio Show, from the historic studios of KPFA Pacifica Radio which airs on over 40 stations across the country. Russell Newman, PhD, is Assistant Professor in Digital Media and Culture, Emerson College, and Faculty Associate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, Harvard University, Boston, Mass. Dr. Newman’s work explores the intersections of the political economies of media and surveillance, neoliberalism, the epistemological foundations of media policymaking, and activism surrounding communications policy. He is author of The Paradoxes of Network Neutralities (MIT Press, 2019) which explores the deep connections of open access and net neutrality debates with neoliberalism and draws lessons for activism in the US. His work addresses what has become known as ‘surveillance capitalism’ and the connections with the neoliberal project, and the challenges for future reform. Dr. Newman earned his Ph.D. at the Annenberg School for Journalism and Communication at the University of Southern California. He previously served as Research and Campaign Director for the national nonprofit advocacy group Free Press, and co-edited The Future of Media: Resistance and Reform in the 21st Century (Seven Stories Press, 2005). Fatima Zahrae Chrifi Alaoui, PhD is the Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at San Francisco State University. Alaoui’s research and teaching engage international and intercultural communication, critical rhetoric, media studies, political communication, gender studies and social change in a variety of contexts, including social movements, political discourse and pop culture. Her scholarship considers how vernacular voices of resistance work to change their communities, with a focus on the Middle East and North Africa. She also investigates issues of Arab and Muslim representation, performance and identity.