'Anti-Teen' alarm

[gela]

Article

A controversial device that emits an irritating high-pitched noise to disperse loitering youths has launched in Australia. The gadget, named the Mosquito, emits a shrill high frequency ring that targets the sensitive hearing of teenagers. Listen to a similar high frequency alarm here. Shopkeepers in the UK are using the 20cm black box to disband teens, while blissfully unaware adults continue shopping. However, campaigners claim the pulsing sound, which travels 20m, has adversely affected many young people and may breach human rights standards. ... "These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people, including babies, regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving."

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The biggest security concern for construction companies today is liability for injuries to unauthorised persons on building sites. This is often the result of kids gaining access to a compound and using it as a play area after work has finished for the day. Conventional security measures used on temporary compounds are ineffective. The system boasts climb-over and break protection and the intelligence systems capable of determining the difference between those instances and incidental occurrences such as animal incursion, high winds, impacts etc. All this with a false alarm activation rate of just 1%. ... The chances are that if you are over 20, you will never have heard of it. But if you are a teenager in the habit of hanging around causing trouble, it could well have sent you and your mates packing. The Mosquito, which emits a sound that can be heard only by the young, has been quietly clearing shopping precincts around Britain for the past two years. Yesterday, however, the Children's Commissioner for England provoked a furious backlash after demanding that the device should be banned - because it is an infringement of yobs' human rights.

Yay or nay?
Me? I have no problem with them on construction sites, but not at shops. After all, it hurts babies aswell, and it hurts all young people indiscriminatly - I don't want that noise in my ears when Im just driving past or buying some food.

[Kite]

I wouldn't want something like this in the hands of a shopkeeper. The construction site usage seems more reasonable.

[Tycoon]

Listen to a similar high frequency alarm here.

Oww! That seriously is painful. I used to play at these tennis courts that had a restaurant next door, and the restaurant had one to keep bird away. It really skrewed up my tennis.

[Halofan48]

LOL, it has no effect on me, and I have pretty good hearing, so .

Yet still, what if there are teens shopping. Turning on the device might also make shoppers leave. Also, if it is causing pain, then it probably shouldn't be allowed.

[Chaossaber314]

Quote by: Tycoon Oww! That seriously is painful.

No kidding. I've never been sorrier to have 5.1 attached to my computer.

[barelypolitical]

I think putting it in shops is ridiculous, it's just a stereotype that teens are out to cause rucus anyways. The kids who cause trouble in annoyance in stores are usually younger and have to be in custody of their parents. Wouldn't the noise make the kids act up more since most parents can't just ditch them at home?

Plus teens use that noise to their benefit as well. In schools, teens use that sound as a ringtone so they can be alerted of a text and respond without the teacher ever hearing a vibe or ring...

[Halofan48]

hm, good idea political I'll have to get a few, so that way i'll have one and can sell the rest

[Cephus]

Doesn't bother me at all, although I will agree that just placing them randomly in the hands of people who may abuse it could cause problems. Putting non-lethal sonic weapons in the hands of the authorities however would be just fine with me. What would you prefer, hearing a painful sound or getting shot?

[Chris]

I dont know what the deal is, I d=couldnt hear a damn thing only just a slight ringing. Nothing painful.

[Halofan48]

Your supposed to be a teen ( even though it didn't bug me at all)

though how they would be able to create such a device would be an interesting process to witness. Perhaps a teenagers hearing is more acute.

[Compugasm]

Quote by: gela Yay or nay?

Embargo, me run bartertown!

[Kite]

400 coolness points for incorporating master-blaster into a thread.

Really, if a shopkeep wants to keep kids from loitering, he can get up off his arse and call the cops so THEY can use the non-lethal sonic weapons.

[grandpa]

Using "sonic weapons" on loiterers? The expression "We're living in the fall of Rome" comes to mind, as does the general "Orwell's 1984 is only a few steps away" viepwoint.

Grandpa h.

[Halofan48]

Lol, one of my friends already has it as a ring tone.

[Domino]

Adults won't know when she's called? Not a bad idea...

[Milton Bradley]

A bad, bad idea. It's also just another form of discrimination.

[Halofan48]

Dom means its not a bad idea for high schoolers as a ring tone. The teacher won't notice and we can text silently

[jumph1gh]

Quote by: gela Article Product Home Page Yay or nay? Me? I have no problem with them on construction sites, but not at shops. After all, it hurts babies aswell, and it hurts all young people indiscriminatly - I don't want that noise in my ears when Im just driving past or buying some food.

Might as well as start using taser guns to keep teens away. Atleast it wouldn't hurt the innocent teen-bystanders or the babies.

[G. Adams]

It's not limited to teens. I can hear them clear as day at near 23 and they are annoying as hell. My fiancee's about a year younger and thinks I'm making it up because she can't hear a thing. My sister who is near 29 can hear them too, if not as clear as I can, and it makes her feel sick to stay near them too long.

If the radius of their use is just on private property, like someones garden to keep away cats, or on a construction site, fine. But when it extends into public areas, as most shop used ones do, it's too much.

[grandpa]

Quote by: G. Adams It's not limited to teens. I can hear them clear as day at near 23 and they are annoying as hell.

Then it accomplishes less than nothing, unless we consider annoying the general younger population as an achievement. It seems like just another way for fear to creep its way into the population.

Grandpa h.