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Can cellphones cook eggs and pop popcorn? You would think so after watching doctored videos on the Internet.

“Absolute hoax and absolute hoax,” said Marc Choma of the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association.

“Cellphones operate at such a low power level that there's just no possibility that they could actually pop popcorn,” Mr. Choma said.

“It's actually quite entertaining now because there are so many parody versions of the popcorn popping.”

The same goes for cooking an egg. Not possible, he said.

Cellphones also can't open locked car doors, Mr. Choma said.

On a more serious note, one myth making the rounds that Mr. Choma wanted to dispel is that Canada's wireless service providers would release cellphone numbers to telemarketing companies.

“In Canada, it's illegal to publish someone's cellular telephone number without their consent,” said Mr. Choma, spokesman for the organization representing Canada's cellphone carriers and manufacturers.

Mr. Choma said there's an e-mail circulating that wrongfully says wireless providers would give cellphone numbers to telemarketers and it encourages people to sign up for the national do-not-call list. The e-mail sometimes provides a phone number to call – but this is part of a scam that can involve identity theft, he said.

“For anybody who received it, it's just safer to delete it and not pass it on. If you pass on the information, you are just promoting the scammers.”

More than 3.3 million telephone, cellular and fax numbers have been registered on the do-not-call list since it was launched by the CRTC on Sept. 30.

Digital commentator Carmi Levy said the Internet and e-mail have replaced chain letters and phone calls as ways to efficiently spread these kinds of rumours.

“You can send it [an e-mail] to one or 100 of your friends and it's exactly the same amount of effort,” said Levy of AR Communications Inc. in Toronto.

One of the most widespread cellphone myths in recent years is that they cause explosions at gas stations. Mr. Choma said he believes this stemmed from an alleged incident in Indonesia in the late 1990s.

“Quite simply, there is nothing involved in the operation of a cellphone, the actual wireless technology, that would have any effect on making a cellphone cause an explosion,” he said.

“When this hit the media, a lot of oil companies were very quick to jump on that and create policies banning cellphones from gas stations simply before it was determined it was false.”

Can a cellphone interfere with a plane's navigation equipment?

Mr. Choma said that with any sort of device that uses a radio frequency, as cellphones do, there is the possibility of interference with aircraft electronics.

He said the rule that prevents passengers from using cellphones on planes was set out by Transport Canada. Other regulators around the world have similar policies.

“It has never been proven that a cellphone has caused problems for an airplane, but again those [rules] are set out by Transport Canada and people do have to follow the rules.”

Tech analyst Marc Saltzman said cellphone myths are often legitimized by false references to TV shows or news sources. They can begin with “This was on Oprah today,” or “I just saw this on Good Morning America.”

“We think we're getting it from a trusted source even though we may not be. They cite some sort of doctor or news organization that has reported on it to give it some legitimacy,” said Mr. Saltzman, who writes for the MSN website and other publications.

Websites like snopes.com and vmyths.com debunk cellphone myths.

Do cellphones cause brain tumours?

“There is currently no convincing evidence … that the energy from cellphones is enough to cause serious health effects, such as cancer, epileptic seizures or sleep disorders,” says Health Canada.

No evidence does not necessarily mean zero risk, however.

“Only you can decide if you can live with the possibility of an unknown risk from cellphone use,” Health Canada adds. Limiting the length of phone calls and using “hands-free” devices can reduce the risk.

Health Canada warns, however, that cellphones can interfere with medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators and hearing aids.

Do cellphones interfere with hospital equipment?

This type of equipment is now shielded from radio frequency and a number of hospitals are going wireless, but Mr. Choma said it's best to check with hospital policy before using a mobile phone on the premises.

Also, it's a myth that dialling the number 77 and hitting the pound key will summon police in an emergency.

“The only number that people need to know when they have a cellphone and they think they may be in an emergency situation is 911.”