Inside Scoop: Cell phone radiation warnings up in the air Video

Inside Scoop: Cell phone radiation warnings up in the air Video Transcript

I'm Dan Farber and I'm joined here by Donna tam from CNET who's been covering the cellphone radiation industry and one of the issues that's come up is that the city of San Francisco would like to see some warnings signs on cellphones -- acquired by customers and quite a bit of controversy around that. Correct and the city passed an ordinance the -- no ordinance in 2010. -- they want to educate consumers about specific absorption rates. Cellphones which means the amount of radiation that they may be giving off. And -- after after they approved the ordinance the -- day which is the wireless industry's lobbying group. Filed suit saying that it was. It was going against the first amendment rights and forcing them to convey a message that they don't -- today. They're afraid of the weight that was placed on. Then providing -- -- for consumers would cause some alarm and panic about cellphones and general. That seems this is very similar to what happened with the smoking industry where for years and years the smoking industry would. Senator weather's no need to have any warning it doesn't -- because no proof well at candidate turned out that -- was harmless harmful to health and I think a lot of people could have lived longer had been warned earlier. There are a lot of parallels are being drawn about that and the city is definitely standing by that they're saying you know. There's no definitive proof that as cellphones cellphone radiation related cancer but. Our do we have to wait to someone dies before we can say let's warm people about pirate. That's not just San Francisco. And Washington DC representative Dennis -- has. Put a -- -- -- that it will require some warning labels put on cell phones as well prophecies that get through. This congress anytime soon but says the cellphone industry is that really ratcheting up its lobbying and in no trying to keep itself them. Having to post these kinds of warnings. Yeah and definitely everyone all the cities and companies across the country -- that one -- cellphone. -- radiation labeling like this they're watching this case attempts and -- happened in the courts. What happened yesterday. So basically -- the judges heard arguments from both sides both from the wireless industry. Lobbying group and also from the city -- Francisco. And the judges ass pretty tough questions -- science. And at the end when the judge mark -- both sides had really good arguments in that they would take into consideration. And we should be expecting some sort of ruling from them soon. If found they decide to stayed this preliminary injunction to which you put a hold on all these materials at Tesco wants produced. They may choose to -- an -- at the Supreme Court army go back to the district court where they'll duke it out for more. -- -- -- -- -- For CNET I'm Dan Farber thanks for watching --