“The Mosquito” Infringes On The Rights Of The Young

A high pitched machine called “The Mosquito” is being used in England to combat anti-social behaviours of the nation’s youth. There is a problem though, the device that uses ultra sonic tones hurts all under the age of 20.

The use of “The Mosquito” to curb “bad” behaviours is getting heat within human rights groups. The device’s ultra sonic tones can only be heard by those younger than their twenties. That age range includes infants and small children who are subjected to the painful tones if they are in an area where it is being used. The chances that they are in those areas is pretty high considering in England they are used where youth gather like shops and parks.

“I have spoken to many children and young people from all over England who have been deeply affected by ultra-sonic teenage deterrents. These devices are indiscriminate and target all children and young people, including babies, regardless of whether they are behaving or misbehaving,” England’s Children’s Commissioner Al Aynsley-Green stated.

There are around 3,500 of these devices in England. Leaders that deal with the nation’s youth have fears that by using this painful device teenagers may ultimately be pushed into unsafe venues in order to escape the torment.

The Mosquito was invented by Howard Stapleton in Wales. It is manufactured by Compound Security Systems. The company says their product is an ultrasonic teenage deterrent and “the most effective tool in our fight against anti social behavior.” The device has a range of 15 to 20 metres. The company boasts that teens will quickly move from an area using their device within
8 to 10 minutes.

Shop owners have bought into the hype and are using the device as are railway companies hoping to curb the amount of graffiti on their trains and station walls.

Shopkeeper Rober Gough from South Wales was the first to use the product and is satisfied.

“Either someone has come along and wiped them off the face of the earth, or it’s working.”

While shopkeepers may see a benefit from this product it is not popular among human rights groups.

Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights group Liberty, said: “What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children? Imagine the outcry if a device was introduced that caused blanket discomfort to people of one race or gender, rather than to our kids.

“The Mosquito has no place in a country that values its children and seeks to instill them with dignity and respect.”

This device reminds me of dog whistles. Knowing that small children have to deal with this machine while their Mums are shopping is horrible. Children aren’t animals.

Come to think of it, if a device was found to hurt an animal it would be quickly outlawed. Animals may just have more rights than children in the over all scheme of things.