We came across a message circulating on Telegram chat groups claiming that 5G antennas are being dismantled in Peru due to public pressure over their dangers. The message included a video showing workers removing and dismantling an unspecified metal structure, before loading it onto a truck.
The video was also shared in a local Telegram group with a comment alluding to the dangers of 5G technology, and the concerns about exposure to potential health risks in Singapore too.
The long-held concern over 5G technology
Health concerns over 5G are not new. Back in 2019, a survey by Singapore’s Infocomm Media Development Authority found that 45 per cent of respondents were fearful of the potential health risks of the newly introduced cellular networks. Even in 2024, these concerns continue to percolate in the region, prompting experts and government officials in Malaysia to reassure the public that 5G is safe.
These concerns stem from the potential impact of electromagnetic field waves, also known as EMF waves. Ionised EMF waves, operating at frequencies of roughly 3 million gigahertz (GHz) emit a high level of radiation that could lead to illnesses like cancer, in a high enough dose. However, studies have found that the EMF waves produced by 5G operate at a maximum of 55 GHz, which is only a small fraction of the frequency considered to deliver high doses of radiation.
Is Peru removing 5G antennas?
We ran reverse image searches of screenshots taken from the video which led us to a Facebook post citing a report by Radio Programas del Perú, one of the largest media organisations in Peru. The post, dating back to 2019, revealed that the antenna was removed in Miraflores, Peru after authorities discovered that the company that installed the 30-metre-tall structure did not have the necessary authorisation.
This post is corroborated by a press release published by the local government in November 2019. According to these sources, the antenna tower was a radio and cell phone transmission antenna, with no evidence that it was linked to 5G.
Hence, the claim that 5G antennas are being dismantled in Peru due to their dangers is false.
Citizens of Peru have had run-ins with 5G technology in the past as well. In 2020, villagers in the Huancavelica region detained eight technicians whom they suspected were installing 5G technology, fearing that it was causing the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Through our research, we also found that the same clip shared in Telegram chat groups was also circulated in 2022, with the claim that 5G technology from the same antenna caused a COVID-19 outbreak in Miraflores. This claim was debunked in 2022.
Hence, when we encounter an eye-catching video or photo circulating in chat groups and closed messaging apps, it is important that we take steps to verify the information before either reposting or resharing it with our friends and family.
