The evolution of technology might have led to many positive changes and achievements in the UK, but it has also caused some negative effects. When these negative effects or impacts keep recurring, the government takes it upon itself to investigate the issue and provide the best solution. Sometimes, the best solution may be to ban the product.

A product is said to be banned when it is legally prohibited. Further use of the banned product without adhering to the law makes you a defaulter.

Some gadgets have been banned in the UK, mostly because they have been found to compromise the safety of citizens in one way or another.

Gadgets Banned in the UK

Banning a product from a country is an act that only takes place when warranted. Before a product or service gets banned, it would be properly scrutinized to determine if banning it is the best option.

We will list out some of the gadgets banned in the UK, but they will be listed in two categories.

Not all bans in the UK apply to the whole district. Rather, some of them apply to specific industries and groups of people.

1) Banning of mobile phones in schools

For now, this law is only regulated in England. Children in schools are not allowed to use smartphones as long as they are on school premises. This law was released due to the decline in the educational performance of children caused by distractions from their smartphones. All phones are to be submitted by students on arrival at the school premises.

2) Removal of fax machines across the NHS

In a bid to enhance security and improve the health sector in terms of embracing technology, fax machines will no longer be used across the NHS. Fax machines were used as a means of communication between the patients and the practices or between the NHS. Based on the new law, sending emails will replace the use of fax machines. Using emails to communicate is more convenient, efficient, less time-consuming, confidential, etc. Confidential discussions can easily be seen by third parties when a fax machine is used to communicate. The safety of the patients can be compromised when the wrong diagnosis is picked from the fax machine and the patient gets treated for the wrong condition. Some of the heads of administration at the Five Valleys Medical Centre are on the move to prevent the safety of patients from being compromised by ensuring that the use of fax machines is eliminated from the establishment.

Some of the generally banned gadgets or tech include:

3) Laser Pen

Laser pens were once one of the favourite gadgets for adults in the UK until the number of reports on injuries they caused grew. Pointing the laser pen directly to a person’s eye could cause severe damage to the eyes. Some of the injuries were caused on purpose, while some were due to carelessness. The reckless use of laser pens led to the banning of the gadget in the UK.

4) Disposable Vape

The use of disposable vapes in the UK keeps growing in numbers, and most of the users are minors. Disposable vapes are way cheaper than regular vapes hence the reason even minors can afford them. Vaping is a legal activity in the UK but the market is being closely regulated to ensure that things do not get out of hand. Banning disposable vapes and imposing a tax on e-liquids will help control the use of vapes by those below 18.

5) Huawei 5G Equipment

Due to the growing concern about cyber security in the country, drastic measures are being taken in the UK to ensure that the country maintains its safety. One such measure is the removal of Huawei from the UK 5G network. Huawei is not banned in the UK, rather, it is its 5G equipment that is no longer allowed in the country.

Another tech prohibition in the UK is the one that bans TikTok for government devices. This ban was based on some suspicions about how the data and information are used on the app. Using a government device to access the TikTok app may put the confidential information on the device at risk of exposure.

Conclusion

Once a product is banned in A country, the distribution and production of the product also stops. There may be a few stubborn law breakers but the repercussions of breaking such laws are often severe.

For example, being caught with disposable vapes in the UK Will be treated as a criminal offense. The buyers, retailers, suppliers, and distributors will all be held accountable by the law when caught with band items. Once a ban is placed on a product strategic steps are taken by the government to enforce the new law.