FCC chairman gets heckled by smart meter protesters (video)

Julius Genachowski, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, got heckled by smart meter protesters today as he was giving a talk in Silicon Valley.

Genachowski was answering questions from Fortune writer Adam Lashinsky about the pending AT&T merger with T-Mobile when a few protesters walked up and shouted at the FCC chairman. They were upset about the installation of smart meters using wireless spectrum as well as the government’s failure to fully investigate whether cell phone emissions are harmful to people.

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A video of the incident follows below. Genachowski kept his cool, and he later answered more questions on the topic, repeating his standard answer that the matter has been investigated and the FCC’s standards are adequate. Clearly, however, this question of whether wireless emissions can cause harmful effects such as cancer are a passionate topic, and some folks clearly don’t believe the research that has been done on the topic.

Police removed the protesters, who had gathered outside for the most part, after they disrupted the event. Genachowski (pictured in background, looking away from the camera), said the FCC believes it has adequate standards in place, based on investigations of the effects of wireless technology, that will protect citizens from any harm from wireless emissions.

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