Quelling Concerns About Rooftops: Do Risk-Communication Strategies Influence Public Acceptance of 5G Base Stations in China?

Risk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis · 2025 · Benefit · Moderate evidence

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BenefitModerate evidencePaper 5873

Study snapshot

PublicationRisk analysis : an official publication of the Society for Risk Analysis · 2025

Study typerandomized_trial

Reported directionBenefit

Evidence ratingModerate

Abstract

The rapid and nationwide expansion of fifth-generation (5G) wireless cellular technology infrastructure in China has prompted serious public concerns, predominantly due to the potential adverse health effects of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from 5G base stations. The literature offers mixed results regarding the effectiveness of risk communication on public concerns about EMF exposure from base stations. An online survey experiment with 815 adults in Shanghai examined how different strategies of risk communication could enhance public acceptance. We manipulated the framing of intervention materials (loss- vs. gain-framed) and their information source (government, industry, or civil society). Our analysis revealed that government and industry sources, compared to civil society, were more effective in increasing public support. Additionally, gain frames generated more acceptance than loss frames. Furthermore, participants held higher levels of competence-based trust in government and industry, but no significant difference in care-based trust was detected between government and the other two sources. Both dimensions of trust were critical for public acceptance. These results suggest that the Chinese government, along with professional private sectors, could leverage emerging media platforms to foster support. These results also highlight the need for the Chinese government to address the lack of public care-based trust, especially in the context of centralized 5G deployment.

Machine Enhanced Logic

AI evidence extraction

Structured fields below were generated from the paper’s abstract and metadata to make the evidence easier to inspect. Automated extraction may be incomplete or incorrect; verify important details against the original paper.

Study typerandomized_trial

Effect directionbenefit

PopulationAdults in Shanghai, China

Sample size815

ExposureRF

Evidence strengthModerateConfidence: 74% · Peer reviewed: yes

Main findings

In an online survey experiment of 815 adults in Shanghai, government and industry sources (vs civil society) increased public support for 5G base stations, and gain-framed messages generated more acceptance than loss-framed messages. Participants reported higher competence-based trust in government and industry than in civil society, while care-based trust did not significantly differ; both trust dimensions were described as critical for public acceptance.

Outcomes measured

Public acceptance/support for 5G base stations
Effects of risk-communication framing (gain vs loss) on acceptance
Effects of information source (government vs industry vs civil society) on acceptance
Competence-based trust
Care-based trust

Limitations

Exposure was about perceived EMF risk from 5G base stations rather than measured EMF exposure
Online survey experiment; results may not generalize beyond adults in Shanghai
No EMF exposure metrics (e.g., frequency, SAR) reported in abstract

View raw extracted JSON

{
  "study_type": "randomized_trial",
  "exposure": {
    "band": "RF",
    "source": "base station",
    "frequency_mhz": null,
    "sar_wkg": null,
    "duration": null
  },
  "population": "Adults in Shanghai, China",
  "sample_size": 815,
  "outcomes": [
    "Public acceptance/support for 5G base stations",
    "Effects of risk-communication framing (gain vs loss) on acceptance",
    "Effects of information source (government vs industry vs civil society) on acceptance",
    "Competence-based trust",
    "Care-based trust"
  ],
  "main_findings": "In an online survey experiment of 815 adults in Shanghai, government and industry sources (vs civil society) increased public support for 5G base stations, and gain-framed messages generated more acceptance than loss-framed messages. Participants reported higher competence-based trust in government and industry than in civil society, while care-based trust did not significantly differ; both trust dimensions were described as critical for public acceptance.",
  "effect_direction": "benefit",
  "limitations": [
    "Exposure was about perceived EMF risk from 5G base stations rather than measured EMF exposure",
    "Online survey experiment; results may not generalize beyond adults in Shanghai",
    "No EMF exposure metrics (e.g., frequency, SAR) reported in abstract"
  ],
  "evidence_strength": "moderate",
  "confidence": 0.74,
  "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
  "keywords": [
    "5G",
    "base stations",
    "EMF",
    "risk communication",
    "framing",
    "information source",
    "public acceptance",
    "trust",
    "China",
    "Shanghai"
  ],
  "suggested_hubs": [
    {
      "slug": "5g-policy",
      "weight": 0.9,
      "reason": "Study examines public acceptance of 5G base stations and risk-communication strategies in China."
    }
  ]
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract and metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This material is for informational purposes and is not medical advice.

Identifiers and source

DOI: 10.1111/risa.70144
PubMed: 41203559

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