Is the Mosquito Alarm an Infringement on Human Rights?

The Mosquito Alarm is a device designed to stop anti social behaviour. But this alarm has caused controversy with many people claiming that it is an infringement of human rights.

How the Mosquito Alarm Works

The Mosquito Alarm was designed to stop anti social behaviour such as loitering in public places. The device emits a high frequency tone that although harmless is irritating to those who can hear it. The tone emitted from the device is aimed at teenagers and people under 25 years old. The company that makes this device claim the sound cannot be heard by people over 25 years old. The manufacturers also claim it will only take five to ten minutes before the sound forces people to move on.

Where the Mosquito Alarm Are Used

The Mosquito Alarm has been designed for use in areas where loitering occurs. This could be subway tunnels, car parks and outside of shops. Some local police forces have already purchased this alarm system, as have many shopkeepers and home owners. Although the alarm is aimed at dispersing those under 25 there is a setting that can be used for people of any age group. The range of the alarm is between 30 and 40 meters, and the sound does not travel through solid objects such as walls.

Controversy over the Mosquito Alarm

There have been calls from human rights groups to ban the Mosquito Alarm. According to groups such as Liberty this alarm is an infringement of young people’s rights. Campaigners have described this device as ‘a sonic weapon designed against children and young people’. The device is said to discriminate against a certain age group, those under 25 years old. There is no protection for those under 25 years old who are not loitering but are simply passing by. The device has also alarmed many parents as it can be heard by very small children and babies who have acute hearing.

The Rights of the Victims of Anti Social Behaviour

The victims of anti social behaviour have a right to protect themselves according to the manufacturers of the Mosquito Alarm. Thousands of these devices have been sold in the UK to disgruntled home owners and shopkeepers trying to stop loitering outside their property. Many police forces and councils throughout the UK have purchased quantities of the alarms. But councils such as Edinburgh and Kent have actually listened to the campaigners and banned the use of this alarm.

Campaigns to Stamp out the Mosquito Alarm

Campaigns are presently underway to ban the use of the Mosquito Alarm. Human rights groups such as Liberty are supporting the campaigns to ban this alarm. The issue has been raised in the European Parliament and has also been raised at the European Youth Council. The problems that arise from the Mosquito Alarm include:

• The device affects all young people and does not just target those behaving badly
• It is specifically designed to target young people when adults could be the cause of anti social behaviour
• The device provides extreme discomfort to young people and treats them similar to a garden pest
• The device can affect a baby’s hearing while mothers are unaware why their children are in pain
• The device does not encourage young people to behave but it automatically assumes they will not behave
• The device is not a long term solution to loitering but simply moves the problem elsewhere
• It can adversely affect young people with autism
• The device is discriminatory and degrading emitting a sound that is unbearable and distressing

Helping With the Campaign to Ban the Mosquito Alarm

Those who do agree with the human rights campaigners can provide their support, which may help to ban this device. Liberty provides an online support form that can be completed by anyone who has seen or been affected by these devices. Some people have actually written to retailers that stock the Mosquito Alarm and complained. This has resulted in the device being removed from certain stores once the retailers were aware of the device’s harmful effects.

Anti social behaviour can be a real problem in some areas of the UK. But inflicting pain and causing discomfort to a certain age group does seem to be an infringement of human rights. The Mosquito Alarm has been banned in certain UK towns and cities. The campaign against this device looks set to run until an agreeable solution can be found.