MOSQUITO SONIC DEVICE

30 Philly Parks Contain Sonic Devices That

Target Teenagers with Terrible Sounds
“The Mosquito” has been banned in several cities around the globe.

Bridesburg Rec is one of the facilities Parks and Rec says is equipped with the device
BASE PHOTO:BRIDESBURG REC CENTER/FACEBOOK

Michaela Winberg
Jun. 18, 2019

Philadelphia teens, beware. If you’re planning to post up at a rec center after dark,
your eardrums might suffer.
Since 2014, the city has been implementing a device that’s meant to shoo rowdy
youths from the premises. Called the Mosquito, it emits a constant noise at such a high
frequency that only young people can hear it.
 Mosquitos are currently installed at 30 city-run locations around Philly, according
to the Department of Parks and Recreation. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., they send out a
high-pitched ringing sound to which anyone over age 25 is supposed to be immune —
because, TL;DR, older folks’ ear hairs are dead.
What’s the point? The machines are intended to prevent loitering and vandalism
by teens and young adults at public facilities. Think of them as the machine-generated
equivalent of “Get off my lawn!”
Some say this age-based targeting is a form of prejudice.
“It very clearly discriminates against young people,” said Brian Conner, 20, Commented [1]: I agree with this statement.

president of the National Youth Rights Association. “It punishes non-criminal behavior,
and the idea that youth are more prone to commit crimes than adults is just wrong.”
Michael Gibson is president of the Mosquito’s manufacturer, Moving Sound
Technologies. He denies the discrimination charge by saying the product is intended for
private property — which, he claimed, public parks basically are after they’ve closed. Commented [2]: There are people over 25 invading
private property, this device only effects teens
“We do install in the parks in Philadelphia, but…they’re not actually activated until
the park or rec center becomes private property,” Gibson told Billy Penn. “People have
the right to protect their property.”
Councilmember Brian O’Neill is currently behind plans to install one at
Champions Park Playground in Fox Chase. The device is included in some $300,000 in
upgrades for the Northeast Philly park. His office did not return requests for comment.
The city’s Mosquito rollout began around five years ago with an installation in
Chalfont Playground, also in the Northeast. At the time, Parks & Rec told the Inquirer
they intended to outfit all 154 rec centers with the equipment by 2017. That hasn’t yet
happened, but several dozen are out there.

Banned in several cities

Despite Philadelphia’s seemingly enthusiastic adoption, the Mosquito has been
banned in several cities around the world. (FYI, here’s what the thing actually sounds
like.)
Washington D.C. officials installed the anti-kid noisemakers at the Gallery Place
Metro station in 2010. Youth group NYRA took issue with the effort almost immediately,
and members filed a complaint alleging age discrimination. The city eventually asked
the manufacturer to remove the devices.
“By calling attention to it, we were able to make it into a big deal,” NYRA’s Conner
said. “We were able to make it clear that they’d be in a lot of trouble if they kept using
this device.”
In 2008, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child implored the
United Kingdom to “reconsider…the Mosquito devices insofar as they may violate the
rights of children.” Two years later, the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
agreed, stating that government agencies in their 47 member states ought to ban them.
Since then, at least four counties in England have followed suit and banned the
device.
Parks & Rec defended Philly’s use of the youth-repellant machinery, saying
they’re only operational at night.
“These sonic devices are just one part of a holistic safety system, and only
operate when sites are closed to the public,” spokesperson Maita Soukup told Billy Penn
via email. “We welcome all residents to enjoy our parks and playgrounds during the
hours they are open to the public.”

Parks & Rec sites with overnight sonic devices

 Aiden Hess
Period 5
AOW 3

This device, called The Mosquito, is definitely an excellent demonstration of an

engineering feat. However, this device is a sign of discrimination against young people. Of

course there are going to be teens doing illegal actions in the park at night, but there are more

than just teens, there are many adults over 25 doing illegal things at night. This device will not

affect them in any way.

Another problem with this device is it may disrupt innocent bystanders who may have

nothing to do with the problem. Somebody who simply lives across the street may lose sleep

over the high pitched whistle. As well as animals. Most animals have a greater hearing range

than humans. Dogs may be howling at night, annoying the neighbors and keeping everybody

awake, including themselves.

 Including those problems, there are many teens who have no intention to cause harm or

do illegal activity. Some teens may want to simply be at the park at night. Even if a park does

become private property at night, some may want to be near or around the park during the

night, perhaps at a friends house. They too would be bothered by the noise that they didn’t need

to hear in the first place.

Overall, I believe The Mosquito is a bad idea. This annoying, harsh noise maker would

do more harm than good. Granted, it would rid parks of ill-mannered and criminal young people,

however it would also rid the park of good-intentioned people who simply would like to roam the

park after hours, or people who don’t want to be a part of it. I fully agree to ban The Mosquito in

all parks, for it solves very few problems and causes many. I simply believe they should impose

park security if park owners or government wish to keep felloners off grounds at night. Someone

who is willing to stay during the night to watch over the park would be much more effective for

this problem.

-”30 Philly Parks Contain Sonic Devices That Target Teenagers with Terrible Sounds”

Michaela Winberg