Try to imagine a child so completely immersed in a television programme or video game that he or she falls to the ground in convulsions.

Last December, a cartoon television series based on Nintendo's Pocket Monsters video game caused a scare in Tokyo. The culprit cartoon triggered epileptic seizures in over six hundred children.

The Japanese cartoon Pokeman, which aired December 16, TV Tokyo, one of Japan's major broadcaster's stations, featured a scene with an exploding bomb immediately followed by five seconds of flickering light. The result was disastrous, as photosensitive epilepsy was triggered in hundreds of Japanese children.

Although TV Tokyo announced future airings of Pokeman would be canceled if the precise cause for the seizures was not diagnosed, no health warning had been launched prior to the episode's initial debut.

John Phair, provincial communications officer at the Ontario branch of epilepsy Canada, says the principal problem is a lack of research in and regulation for such phenomenon. Currently, the United Kingdom is the only country in the world regulating the frequency of strobe lights on television.

Seizures commonly occur when these are between five and 30 second flashes of light per second. Photosensitive seizures can be triggered by television screens, video games, flickering sunlight shining through the leaves of trees, sun rays reflected on water or stroboscopic light. Some people are also affected by different geometric shapes and patterns.

"Because Britain and Europe are on different electrical systems than we are in North America, and in Japan for that matter, there are some differences," says Phair. While slower frequencies appear to be more problematic for many, Phair believes the conditions vary. "Part of it deals with the trigger frequency being different in each individual person as well."

Still, the problem in Tokyo is not an isolated incident. The Ontario branch of epilepsy Canada was contacted about televised advertisements in Canada causing similar seizures.

"There have been complaints about or comments about some things that have shown up on Canadian airwaves," says Phair. "One was an ad for TD Bank and that's the one that comes to mind most of all."

The commercial promoted Toronto Dominion Bank's electronic banking system, airing in late summer and early fall of 1997. The camera pans over shiny glimmering coins, with a strobe light affect in the foreground.

Cathy Bertini, assistant manager of media relations at TD Bank, is unaware of the number of complaints. "We did receive a number of complaints, but I'm not sure how many exactly." To rectify the situation, Bertini said TD was made aware and proceeded to remedy the problem.

As with the creators of Pokeman, TD did not issue a warning prior to the airing of the commercial. However, when the probelm was brought to their attention they quickly decided on a course of action. "We provided a schedule of when they would be airing so that people who had epilepsy or were susceptible to these seizures knew the commercial would air and would not watch it," Bertini says. "We haven't run any new ads that are of similar content."

In Canada, there are no regulations concerning the frequency of flashing lights on television. Laura Dellal, director of standards and compliance at Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), says consumer warnings should be conveyed by the advertiser.

"Because we don't have any provision in our codes that deals with frequency of light or the transmission," she said. "Even if we did get a complaint on it, what we would do is forward it to the advertiser.

"Because we don't have any provision in our codes that deals with frequency of light or the transmission," she says. "even if we did get a complaint on it, what we would do is forward it to the advertiser, letting them know that people are concerned."

Della also says there was nothing in ASC's codes adressing concerns of that nature. "Our codes deal with the ethics of advertising," she explains. "From what I understand this [epileptic attack-inducing commercials] is a relatively new issue."

Phair finds the lack of policy ensuring the regulation of potentially dangerous frequencies, and the absence of warnings prior to the airing of these advertisements and programmes, disturbing. He feels a simple warning would help increase awareness and decrease potential harm.

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