This sounds (pun) illegal

[Gilhelmi]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/31/AR2010083105777.html

The Mosquito, as the $1,000 device is called, hung outside the Chinatown entrance to the Gallery Place Metro station Tuesday, annoying its intended targets and then some. The young and a few not-so-young could hear the piercing, constant beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeep.

"I can definitely hear it very loudly," 19-year-old Brooke Sawinski said. "It's pretty blasting."

Beeeeep, beeeeep, beeeeep.

"I'm about to leave because it's annoying," said her friend, Cassie Boiselair, 20. The two Connecticut natives were in town looking at colleges and said they understand the problem. Boiselair used to work in the neighborhood and said she won't take her iPod out until she's on her Metro train for fear of having it stolen, but she questioned the solution. "Couldn't they think of something different?"

I was about to go to bed when I saw this article.

See the tech uses the 17 kilohertz range to drive away teenagers from malls. Some bars use them to discourage underage drinking. But, it still sounds illegal to me discriminating based on age, not to mention but I have good hearing as well and can hear in that sound range. I am 26 and one man in the article complained and he is 32.

So what are your thoughts is it good business to drive away future customers? I think not, I also think it should be illegal, because they are intensionally targeting people and discriminating based on age. Although, fewer teens in malls I be a good thing.

 

[Irridium]

Well I can understand the underaged drinking one, but honestly this all just seems silly.

 

[nuqneh1]

I've heard about that, it sounds like a crowd control weapon. Like an age discriminating Flashbang.

 

[octafish]

I endorse this product wholeheartedly. Playing musak isn't illegal, so why should this be?

 

[Krion_Vark]

The only time it gets really annoying is if you have no idea where the hekll its coming from. I used to play the sound in classes and it would make people flip shit while the teacher had no idea what was going on.

OT: No it is not illegal. A mall near my house kicks you out during the weekends after 6 PM if you are not over the age of 18. Why? to get rid of the idiots making people feel uncomfortable.

 

[bubba145]

drinking no everything else yes.

 

[Infinatex]

Sound like a dangerous area so perhaps it is a good idea. I mean if she's afraid of having her iPod stolen...

 

[Pielikey]

Don't go to malls, don't underaged drink. Guess I'm good.

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

I know exactly what you mean its like a heat seeking vuvuzela being blown by a pre-pubescent American on xbox live!

 

[Gasaraki]

I don't really see why it would be illegal, it's basically like hanging a big "No Minors" sign in your store.

 

[Grayjack]

I can see why they would do that, but it's kind of douchey.

 

[Theninja'skatana]

They won't hear it later on but seriously puberty and weird sounds! Fuck it I'm going to an island till I'm 20

 

[Some_Jackass]

Ive heard of this before, though it was harnessed as a ringtone for teenagers so they could use their cell phones in schools without getting caught.

Interesting to see the technology used for good as much as evil.

 

[Delock]

Well, if this is not illegal then I see no reason why me blasting a stereo at 3am would be illegal. To me its plain and simple noise pollution.
Plus if the sound extends out into public places then it should definitely be illegal.

But yeah, its kinda fucking stupid. Yes, teens in malls annoy me but any business that would use those is fucking retarded. They are basically torpedoing their business.

Normally, I only sort of agree with you in your posts, but this time, I have to say you've completely summed up my thoughts on this.

Besides, isn't this basically harassing a certain group of people (those who can hear the noise, not teens)? I may be mistaken, but isn't that discriminating? And if it is to annoy and harass teenagers, can't it technically be described as a hate crime, as it is an act targeting a particular social group, in this case based around age?

 

[TheBoulder]

Old news, friend. I saw an artice on that 3 years ago.

 

[Lullabye]

Think it's annoying at a mall? Try having every kid and his mother going through a fad in which they must absolutely have it as their ringtone.

 

[Finnboghi]

Kind of a tangent, but this addresses an interesting point about auditory health; in Britain and the US, it's remarkable if people over 20 can hear these sounds, but in Australia and Canada, it's remarkable to find anyone at any age who can't hear it.

On topic; I agree with dathwampeer that it's nothing more than noise pollution. Interestingly though, up here in the North, it drives away business, rather than troublesome teens. XD

 

[Plurralbles]

old story is old

I wish I had one.