
Pulling apart a £339 anti-5G USB stick - dan1234
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-52810220
======
djaychela
If you think this is just bunk, and you'd like a laugh, read the FAQs on the
website [1]...

My favourite:

>Does the device remove the EMF from the environment? If so can I use a meter
to measure EMF?

>>The 'electro magnetic meter' can only measure the intensity of radiation
which is not changed by our technology nor does it change the quality of
connection and speed of data transfer.

Well, that's convenient, isn't it?

>>Our device harmonises all harmful frequencies into life affirming
frequencies - it doesn't block - it transmutes.

I note there is no mention of which frequencies are 'harmful' and which are
'life affirming' \- which would be even more useful given the frequency range
of a WiFi or Cellular device, so you'd know which is which...

>> The only methods that we know can measure the difference between imbalanced
radiation (without protection) and balanced radiation (with protection) These
positive test results can be found on our website - please look for 'Case
Study ' under Science and Research tab.

The Case Study starts with this paragraph:

>>In our civilization is emerging new science based on knowledge, whereas the
official (old) science is based on information. We get information through our
senses which are dual and deliver us an inverted picture of the truth and
consequently, information is the opposite of knowledge so that all the old
scientific concepts are therefore the upside down of the true concepts.

Do people actually believe this nonsense? It sounds like the kind of thing
that Russell Brand was wittering about a couple of years ago - that your
senses are the only way to interface with reality, and if you can't sense it
it's not there, etc... Which can be disproved in seconds, even by a 10-year
old child. I find it profoundly depressing when this kind of bamboozlement of
the gullible is done in the form of sciency language. And it always seems to
be done with a big price tag at the end of it.

[1] [https://5gbioshield.com/frequently-asked-
questions/](https://5gbioshield.com/frequently-asked-questions/)

~~~
bambataa
> Do people actually believe this nonsense?

Yes. I have moved past thinking we need to protect people from this kind of
thing. If they believe it, let them buy it. The only harm their ignorance is
doing is to themselves. They might even get some kind of placebo reassurance
from it.

~~~
simonh
The problem is this came up because this device was recommended at a town
council meeting. The representative even argued for the town getting a device
to protect the whole area, so this is far beyond just a private issue. Also
there have been several cases of these people damaging or destroying 5G
equipment, which is infrastructure the public rely on and ultimately pay for
(through fees, regulatory costs, etc).

~~~
rmrfstar
In fairness, there are reasons [1] to be skeptical of 5G other than "it's a
witch" or whatever the new theory is.

I think these people have a vague anxiety that new technologies do not further
their interests, because every time a new one comes out it is used to depress
wages or surveil people. They don't know enough about technology to formulate
a sane objection, so they latch on to "5G is evil black magic."

Remember, for a lot of people in the world most technologies _are_ magic.

[1] [https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-
communications/the-...](https://www.newyorker.com/news/annals-of-
communications/the-terrifying-potential-of-the-5g-network)

~~~
acqq
> there are reasons [1] to be skeptical of 5G

Not there.

The claim is not supported by the article you cite. The article uses a lot of
words about "security" but the truth is 5G has no worse security compared to
2G 3G etc.

The claims about 5G in China "used for surveillance" from the article are also
false, as China started installing 5G equipment just very recently, like a few
months ago, and the number of 5G-capable phones in China is minimal. Whatever
they needed for "surveillance" they could have used the older technologies
just as well.

Edit: To answer "Is your point..." question below: neither nor, to both of
your constructs. The article simply doesn't support its major claim, because
all the "problems" they cite (security, surveillance) are completely not
specific to 5G, and their claims of existing relation to 5G technology are
obviously false, just as I wrote.

~~~
rmrfstar
Is your point that the New Yorker missed risks you _do_ find meaningful, or
that everything they pointed out is not meaningful _to you_ and therefore 5G
must be loved by all?

Either way, it misses the point of my comment.

------
timrichard
This item is based on no science and horribly overpriced, but cosmetically
attractive and sneakily marketed. Shocking. They should diversify into premium
Hifi.

Edit.

~~~
romwell
>They should diversify into premium Hifi.

All they need to do is make that plug golden, and sell it for $1K.

~~~
Avamander
Yeah, you can even sell gold-plated TOSLINK cables.

------
numlock86
> [...] promises to protect your family from 5G, using ground-breaking quantum
> technology

My intuitive guess would be that for the target audience "ground-breaking
quantum technology" would cause even more problems for their family than 5G.
Interesting.

~~~
pb82
Don't think so. Quantum is often used as a convenient explanation for why
things work in those circles (at least from what i've seen). How does it
protect me from evil radiation? It's quantum, you wouldn't understand.

~~~
numlock86
Hm, I was always under the impression that not understanding a physical system
is the root cause for such technological fears. Clearly quantum mechanics are
in the same realm.

But maybe this can be used as a cure for many fears? I mean multiple studies
have shown that the root cause for fear of flying comes from not knowing or
understanding how a plane flies. I mean sure, it clearly does not flap its
wings, so it might crash any second? But some quantum-stirred and fossil-
entangled jet fuel might help.

~~~
ClikeX
Ironically, they fear the logical explanations they don't understand. But with
"quantum" they can wave off everything as if its magic.

These people distrust sciency explanations because they think its harmful
manmade stuff. They only trust things that sound like they're part of the
"natural order" of things.

------
MattGaiser
If it will stop people from burning towers, let them sell a million.

------
s1t5
Things like this go to show how much money can be made with low effort if you
don't have a conscience.

~~~
MattGaiser
If the cost of progress is having the opponents of progress waste their money
to allay their fictional fears, I could come to terms with the ethics of that.

------
PoachedSausage
Reminds me of the ADE651 fake bomb detector[0]. At least people will not die
because of this.

[0]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADE_651)

~~~
SenHeng
> _Investigations by the BBC and other organisations found that the device is
> little more than a "glorified dowsing rod" with no detecting ability. In
> January 2010, export of the device was banned by the British government and
> the managing director of ATSC was arrested on suspicion of fraud;[3] in June
> 2010, several other companies were raided by British police.[4] ATSC was
> dissolved on 5 March 2013.[5] On 23 April 2013, the founder of ATSC, James
> "Jim" McCormick, was convicted of three counts of fraud[6] and subsequently
> sentenced to ten years' imprisonment.[7]_

Let's hope our false saviour meets the same fate.

------
BiteCode_dev
If you see "quantum" in a general public health product, you know it's going
to be a scam, but probably a successful one.

My mother loves those kind of things and no amount of discussion with her will
create any doubt in her mind.

I can't blame people falling for this though. They have been disrespected by
the traditional health institutions for so long any escape seems good to them.

You can see the same effect in politics. To an extend, the current authorities
have a lot of responsability in people listening to crooks.

~~~
ahsima1
It can also even be literally radioactive
[https://youtu.be/mEm9ooXyKss](https://youtu.be/mEm9ooXyKss)

------
kmlx
your tax £££ hard at work:

Report and Recommendations from Glastonbury Town Council’s 5G Advisory
Committee

PDF: [https://stop5g.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2020/04/FinalReporta...](https://stop5g.co.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2020/04/FinalReportandRecommendationsfromGlastonburys5GAdvisoryCommitteePRINT.pdf)

Toby Hall's comments are gold.

> Surveillance, IOT- Internet of Things, and 5G. Crowd control, mind control,
> ‘voice to skull’, and the ability to manipulate individuals or groups of
> people emotionally, even to self-harm are achieved via RFR programming. This
> patented technology is being used worldwide. 5G is the vehicle for total
> control and the ‘surveillance state’, this is pernicious and dangerous.

> Medical/Health damage. RFR damage can be slow and accumulative. With higher
> levels it can be lethal and dramatic. Such as flocks of birds falling out of
> the sky dead when 5G is turned on. People get nose bleeds and suicide rates
> increase.

------
dhsysusbsjsi
The most worrying thing I found about this article is the seriousness of the
review - as if the pseudoscience is real and the review is checking if the
fake device works against the fake science.

This is very worrying it made it into the BBC.

~~~
speedgoose
I think the article makes a lot of fun about the product and is obviously
described as a funny and expensive scam between the lines :

"So what's different between it and a virtually identical 'crystal' USB key
available from various suppliers in Shenzhen, China, for around £5 per key?"
asks Ken Munro, whose company, Pen Test Partners, specialises in taking apart
consumer electronic products to spot security vulnerabilities.

And the answer appears to be a circular sticker.

"Now, we're not 5G quantum experts but said sticker looks remarkably like one
available in sheets from stationery suppliers for less than a penny each," he
says.

~~~
dhsysusbsjsi
Oh I totally missed the humour here. I guess we are bombarded with so much
idiocracy now that it’s hard to tell spoof comedy from real news.

------
gerdesj
Glasto is renowned for being a bit different:

"Mr Hall said his remarks in Glastonbury Town Council's 5G Advisory Committee
report should not be seen as a recommendation to buy the product. But he had
no regrets about buying it and since plugging it in had felt beneficial
effects, including being able to sleep through the night and having more
dreams." "I also felt a 'calmer' feel to the home," he told BBC News.

It's reassuring to know that your taxes are well spent on ensuring town
council members can get a full night's sleep by buying a sticker.

~~~
tonyedgecombe
Glastonbury (the town) is like a different world, you have to visit it to
appreciate it.

[https://normalforglastonbury.uk](https://normalforglastonbury.uk)

------
technicolorwhat
What I don't understand is that a site like BBC, doesn't actually harshly
denounce it as a scam. Why?

~~~
Macha
The BBC is very proud of its neutrality, where neutrality is usually
interpreted as "quote both sides, even if one is obviously crazy"

~~~
colourgarden
> The BBC is very proud of its neutrality

Not just proud of it - it must be impartial as per the terms of the Royal
Charter and licence under which it is allowed to operate.

------
detaro
should probably point to source URL:
[https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/reverse-
engine...](https://www.pentestpartners.com/security-blog/reverse-
engineering-a-5g-bioshield/)

------
topoftheforts
Two things come to my mind:

\- this is basically an ignorance tax

\- sometimes I wish I had no conscience, I would be much richer

~~~
bonzini
If you've never heard about the Gopher, read on:
[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29459896](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29459896)

Also here is a hilarious recount of the same story in Italian, you might have
success with automated translation: [https://bagniproeliator.it/cerca-una-
pallina-da-golf-trova-r...](https://bagniproeliator.it/cerca-una-pallina-da-
golf-trova-ritardati-mentali/)

~~~
gpderetta
«È un’invenzione supersegreta di un mio amico, ex direttore della NASA.
Intercetta le vibracole moleizzate dell’atmosfera catafrastica protocollo
Trider G7 tu del cosmo imbattibile eroe.»

I'm literally^Wfiguratively rolling on the floor laughing!

------
boomboomsubban
Why is this product even a USB stick? The advertisement says it works fine
just placing it near your cell phone. Do people have some sort of trust in USB
sticks?

~~~
MattGaiser
It is the cheapest electronic looking thingy that can easily fit on a key
chain.

~~~
boomboomsubban
Making it electronic looking at all seems like a strange choice. Surely at
least some people would know electronics need electricity.

~~~
MattGaiser
> Surely at least some people would know electronics need electricity.

If you buy into the conspiracy, then electricity is probably some kind of dark
magic to you.

EDIT: They actually have you plug it in to charge it periodically or expand
the protective field.

~~~
boomboomsubban
If they say that, the lack of a battery on disassembly could make their claims
provably false rather than obviously false.

~~~
pornel
Nah, you're looking for an old-fashioned official-science battery. It charges
a bio-quantum spiritual battery.

------
notkaiho
What an absolute lack of surprise that the person with one of these is from
Glastonbury

~~~
sgt
What's so special about Glastonbury?

~~~
notahacker
Glastonbury is a town with a long history, some ancient myths concerning its
historic monuments and a very famous music festival which make it attractive
to various types of New Age spiritualists and retired hippies.

The UK has plenty of councillors with very _unusual_ views, but Glastonbury is
where most satirists would locate a councillor who believed in magic anti-5G
fields [just like they'd locate the retired major colonel who's disgruntled
about parking issues or lack of respect for royalty in Tunbridge Wells]

------
rendx
Ethical dilemma of placebos. If they give relief...?

~~~
Sayrus
Is the price part of the placebo?

~~~
BiteCode_dev
Yes. More value, more effect.

~~~
arethuza
A Veblen good?

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good)

~~~
WJW
Related but not exactly the same. Veblen goods derive their "worth" from
showing them to others, while this is something you can enjoy on your own.

------
Zenst
Selling tin foil as specialist EMF limiting wallpaper would be more honest
than this device and yet, there will be people out there who will buy this and
what's more, some of those will believe it works whatever you tell or show
them.

------
dejv
Reminds me adapter plugs that filter out electricity generated by nuclear
power plants.

~~~
b3lvedere
I've always wondered how people manage to seperate the 'bad electrons coming
from nuclear power plants' from the 'good electrons coming from good old safe
coal power plants' :)

------
notahacker
Surprised none of the many 5G-related Android apps appear to be marketing
themselves as being able to turn off the evil high speed connectivity yet.

I hear they're especially efficient on non 5G capable phones :)

------
sargun
If it makes people feel better, and gets people to stop being unreasonably
unhappy about something harmless, who are we to ruin that for them?

I guess we could be opening ourselves up to a slippery slide, or some danger
that people make unsafe decisions because of this, but I think this is
relatively innocuous.

~~~
sp332
Well it's a £339 fraud, for one thing. If it were more honest about what the
product was, it would be less illegal.

------
wilt
Pfft this is already out of date. My usb stick with a sticker of a dolphin can
block 6g.

------
TorKlingberg
The website of the "professor" behind this is lovely:

[https://teslastyle101.com](https://teslastyle101.com)

It's almost Time Cube level (he seems to prefer other polyhedrons).

------
senectus1
When will they solve the problem of Dihydrogen Monoxide?

The stuff just falls from the sky!!

[https://www.dhmo.org/](https://www.dhmo.org/)

------
Synaesthesia
I have some oxygenated water to sell you. Oh and oxygen free copper cables.

I see the radius of the bubble is large enough to protect my entire house.

------
inscartwheelies
Reminds me of the fuel "savers," "no-soap ionic" laundry balls, sonic insect
"repellers," solar freakin roadways, Kailo, and free energy "inventions."

Many people want so desperately to believe that magical-thinking shortcut
"solutions" will work that they'll spend good money to try to make it happen
that they will suspend logic and critical thinking.

------
BubRoss
Amazingly, it is still less of a scam than Lacie hard drives.

