I really think that it is a case of if there out of sight then there out of mind, by this I mean that continually using this device will push these groups further away from the problem, and eventually into areas that are unwatched.
More spread out groups means it's harder for local authorities to keep an eye on all of them and therefore are dragged from incident to incident, consuming much of there time.

I do understand that anti-social behaviour is a problem but it seems that the lack of provision today for young people and the irresponsible sale of alcohol to these youngsters, a majority of the time from off licences that are affected by this, are the reasons for the situation. I don't condone the behaviour in anyway but unfortunately for those whose families unable, or are not bothered if they do provide entertainment and occupy there lives. Then there will be no end to this downward spiral, and continually oppressing all young people will only fuel the fire.

Benn Moore, Hinckley, Leicestershire

I'm a 14 year old from Belfast, NI. The mosquito device is installed at all Spar shops in my area. I feel it's outright, unadulterated discrimination, and every time I hear it I can't help but imagining myself as a "yob", when in fact I'm quite the opposite.
It's unfair to be "kicking" the kids away from shops -- Much in the same way that whenever us youths walk into a shop with out friends, we're told to "get what we're getting, then leave". Is that right also? Targetting our age group because of our stereotype? No, it's not, and I believe this device and all others like it should be banned.
As said in the article, they wouldn't kick out just black people, or a particular culture / race. There would be a public outcry if this were to happen, though because young people are always judged by older people, it's not acknowledged as a problem.
Some young people do cause problems in their community, but there are caucasian murders and theives as an example -- Would you stereotype them?

Brian, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Here in the USA teenagers and even adults who should know better are often driving around with tremendously overpowered stereo systems. The bass tones of these systems can lieterally be heard from miles away from the vehicle playing the system. It is nothing less than obvious that this sub-culture is one that delights in annoying others. So, I think it's wonderfully fantastic that those of us who enjoy peace and quiet now have a means to finally offend the offenders. Funny, though, how quickly those offenders protest. I guess they can dish it out but they can't take it.
By the way, where can I get one??

Doug, Pensacola Beach, Florida

cor .. do people oppose just for the sake of opposing?
what is wrong with these protesters???!!!

- The Mosquitoâ„¢ is not a weapon.
- The Mosquito™ is not painful – it is simply annoying to those who can hear it.
- The Mosquito™ will not make people run away from an area – it will simply annoy those who can hear it - eventually causing them to move away.
- The Mosquitoâ„¢ will not cause hearing damage.

Marguerita, Birmingham, UK

Surely there is a law against punishing the many for the crimes of the few?

I am a 23 year old hard working, tax paying graduate engineer, just trying to make my way in the world. Why should I be punished because some kids are causing problems? Are the parents of these kids not even slightly to blame?

If across the board punishment is the way forward, whould it not be more effective to simply round up all under 25's and cull us? It worked with cattle and Foot & Mouth, so it should work with youth culture too.

Andy Hall, Crewe, UK,

Wow. I am only 14 and I listened to this on the computer like 2 times and 30 minutes later my ears STILL hut.
o_O

Cody, sumner, tennessee

I am a store manager who has along with my staff and customers been plagued with gangs of youngsters congregating at the front of my shop. Thanks to Sir Aynsley-Green's statement the offer of a mosquito to be sited outside the shop has now been withdrawn! Perhaps he would like to remove himself from behind his six foot barricade at his home and come into the real world where people endure taunts and intimidation on a daily basis! The mosquito may not end the problem but at least it would be more bareable.

MRS BARBARA NERI, BARNSTAPLE, DEVON

im only 11 and i heard about this on tv and it says they might take it to austrlia too! i have heard all the bad comments from other kids in england and i really dont want that thing coming to australia!!! hardly any kids would be able to go shopping again and they would loose there freedom. i know its to keep away the bad teens but wat about us................................. =(

Someone has to do something about it!

Polina, Frankston, Victoria Australia

This is disgusting. In Australia there are devices similar that go on the front of cars to make wild life clear from roads. I can remember hearing these since about the age of 10 (roughly when they started to be installed I guess) they have always driven me mental. If I happened to be around a stationary one for 20 minutes I would find myself going crazy. It is completely unfair that anyone should have to put up with this sort of torture just for being young. (also I can still hear these devices [sometimes through walls] very clearly and I'm 23).

Besides, how does this stop the problem? If they are irritating to a gang while will the gang break into smaller groups? Why not just collectively leave the area and go somewhere else? What happens when all the places youth like to go have these installed? They are forced to go somewhere they don't want to, probably resentful of the fact and far more likely to be agitated and aggressive as a result.

Julian Wearne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

This is an absolute infringement of human rights. A totally over the top reaction to a problem in society. Thumbs up to the mosquito for making the "problem youths" hate society even more for demonising them. Ever heard of social projects to get kids involved in activities and showing them that there is something to be enjoyed in life? How many centres do you see in england to occupy young people. Take a look at how things are don ein munich, where social institutions are set up all over to positively engage and help the young. You cant fight fire with fire. A code of practice is still not enough at all!!! This thing could be causing much more damage than people realise. Dogs and chilren will be severely affected by this.

Alex Eisenhart, London,

this could kill the hearing the sound waves of poor inasint babies. this problem needs to be fixed NOWWW!!!!


i have a very strong oppion on this!!!!!

megan, indianapolis, indiana

'If loud enough to be considered a disturbance, they should be banned. If not, no ban. We don't prohibit dogs, unless they are loud or persistent and intense.'

If it's not loud enough to be a disturbance, surely it won't stop the people it's meant to be targeting and will just cause minor irritation to everybody who can hear it?

I am completely against these devices. I don't see how anybody can see this sort of device being an acceptable 'solution'. We were all under 25 once (and I still am :)... how would you feel if you were being punished for something you haven't done wrong? It's a bit like giving a whole class detention for one person's misbehaviour. I assume it's meant to make the rest of the crowd who can hear it hate the trouble makers- I reckon it'll just cause hate against the people who believe that it will work. Please don't paint every one with the same brush, there are plenty of young people who just want to do well in life and hate trouble makers as much as you do.

Philip Dyer, St Austell, England

Whats to say that all "large gangs " are gangs what if its just a group of friends out for the day. You start off already saying that kids can not hang out in big numbers. Well your wrong. not all kids are bad and not all big groups are gangs. The most dangers groups are small bc they can go unnoticed easier. If you were a "ill mannerd" teen would you rather try and be bad in a groupd of 10 or 20 or in a group off 2 or 3 when its easier to go unonticed and with people you trust the most. BAN THE DEVICE and boo to human rights they are all communist

Isabel, Bogota, Colombia

US against THEM mentality. Think about it. Do we not have enough of that in the world. It is LAZY and ARROGANT and just WRONG HEADED for societies to pit the young against the old. Criminals require legal means, not illeagal or quick fix techniques to be handled. The young are not INHERANTLY criminal. Parents who believe PUNISHMENT makes youth grow into GOOD CItizens HAVEN'T THOUGHT THE PROBLEM through.
It is GOOD WILL, PATIENCE, KINDNESS AND GROWN UPS LEADING BY EXAMPLE THAT brings our precious youth into their ADULT YEARS. Creating more WEAPONS that dehumanize humanity even more does not solve the problems. Haven't we learned enough in 10,000 years to CIVILIZATION? I wonder.

Lawrence , Blue Springs,, Missouri, USA

While not ultimately addressing the problem, removing large gangs of teens from public areas is a positive action in my opinion. A lot of these gangs aren't merely kids having boisterous fun, they are aggressive troublemakers intimidating other children and the elderly, weaker people who won't stand up to them. They vandalise areas; they dirty areas by dropping rubbish, spitting, vomiting and urinating (often from the consumption of alcohol); they shout and in extremes attack people.

Even I, as a 27 year old man, feel intimidation in some situations when going to my local shopping areas in the evening or during the weekend.

The more we hobble the government from controlling youths, the crazier this situation becomes. What about the rights of people to be able to conduct their every-day business without fear and danger of attack? These rights protestors have gone beyond their remit and are leading to the downfall of our once fair land.

Jim Arnold, Peterborough, England

If they only use these after shopping hours then all these comments about it affecting mothers and young children would become redundant.

Common sense is required here. The device is a good idea, but usage should be retrained to the evenings (if it isn't already), when I imagine the majority of teen-related trouble occurs.

Jim, Raleigh, USA

1. juvenile detention centres please

2. stiffer laws for the 12-16 year old bracket.

3. Large fines for the parents

4. Allow smacking of kids if they do wrong.

5. Compulsory military service at 18

6. eliminate long term social security benefits

Jack, Edinburgh,

How can I get one of these? :)

Bernard, São Paulo, Brazil

If I'd know about this device 9 months ago I'd have bought one. Gangs of bullies followed my 14year old son home from school and then terrorised us for months while all the police could do was apologise for being short staffed and having their hands tied by the law. Not all teenagers are thugs but where the parents cease to have any influence large groups of teenagers can actually kill - noise can't. Personally injury and serious financial loss caused by kids - suffer that and then say it a bad idea. Get a code of practice already.

Danyal, Lancaster, England

Why is everyone stereotyping everyone? All youths are not hoodies or hooligans. Just as the older generations are not all old boring farts.
Just because there is a group of youths who appear to be loitering doesn't mean they are. Some use the shopping centre as a place to meet. That doesn't mean they are standing there hatching a plan to vandalize. Some may be waiting for the bus and still have to hear that terrible noise. I am 21 years old and I have a two year old. We often go to the shopping centre for the weekly shop and sometimes just to go window shopping. I am not a hoodie and have never been. Our local shopping centre is getting a mosquito installed. This means I wont be able to stand to go shopping at my local anymore. And as I don't have my license as yet, I will have to rely on family to take me to another shopping centre so my son and I don't have to hear the horrible mosquito. But as we are both under 25 then oh my god, that must make us both hooligans and terrorizers!

Rebecca, Canberra, Australia

Consider the torture that happens to a 6-month old infant when his or her mother, aged 30, stands, unknowningly, in the field of one of these Mosquito devices.

David Jacobson, San Diego, CA, USA

I think that some 'commenters' have got the wrong end of the stick. This argument is not wholly about rights. Lock hoodies up for littering, loitering and anything else, but please, PLEASE, don't make me, and a couple of other innocent people, suffer because of a petty commercial quick-fix.

Timothy Foxley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Of course its discriminatory Albert. So are underage drinking laws, school leaving age, film guidance certificates etc. - all for good reasons.

R Bowden, London,

As a part of that small number of people over the age of 20 that can hear the Mosquito sound trust me this is very much like torture.

They say that they are completely justified because the sound levels are within legal limits but it's not the volume but type and use of it which makes it impral.

Just saying that "It can't be that bad if they don't even notice it for a while." is like claiming as long as i don't get caught it's ok to steal.

James Hance Matyiko, Sharptown,

If loud enough to be considered a disturbance, they should be banned. If not, no ban. We don't prohibit dogs, unless they are loud or persistent and intense.

chaz, Port Coquitlam,

If that is what shopkeepers want to do then may I suggest that under 25s and people with young children vote with their feet, dont use those shops, a large drop in profits should bring said shop keepers to their senses. May I also suggest that shopkeepers are sued for any hearing damage.

Patricia Kenny, Braford, West Yorkshire

I'm 43 years old, and my range of hearing is beyond that of most kids, and the low decibel capacity of my hearing has been tested at 120% of average. Sounds can drive me crazy, I carry earplugs with me all the time. These things would drive me absolutely crazy. That ONLY kids can hear this is a false assumption, I can hear it quite clearly.

Just do what they are doing in the malls here in America, play Frank Sinatra music, or other old classics. Kids want nothing to do with it, it's not "cool", so they move on. Although you may need to break up those shiftless retirees. ;-)

Bob, Chicago, IL

When grouping teenagers reach a critical mass there is a greater likelihood for misbehavior at other people's expense. Has enough time and effort been spent in an effort to remedy this problem in the past? Is this solution too quick and direct? Teenagers walking to form the group are capable of walking away from the group as well. Walking is a conscious act. Give the teenagers some credit.

George Green, Kent, WA

I think it's great technology and calls to ban it are just political correctness overstepping it's boundaries again.

If you are to ban this you should ban mobile ring tone also - how many 'yoofs' would moan about that, when they get their completely unnecessary phone confiscated in school?

You can't have it both ways.....

AC , NYC, USA

I know a large number of people that think that it is funny to play this tune on their phones. This mainly happens at school. I am 13, so the 16-year-olds have a brilliant time annoying us all (they cannot hear some of the tones).

I would not mind, but it is the only thing on Earth that can give me a headache and make me feel physically sick for hours afterwards. It also makes me temporarily deaf, so what would prolonged exposure to this noise do to my hearing in the long-term? I cannot afford to go deaf by the age of 18 - I am a musician.

I know that commercial companies can stoop low, but do they seriously think that people will allow this? I do not want to be disabled (hearing), sick and ill if I simply want to get a paper from the local shop...

Timothy Foxley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

If the youths cause trouble or hang about inm groups frightening people and shop keepers the installation of the Mosquito is justified it does not infringe their rights, they can just find somewhere else to hang out. Shop looses business if nobody go into their shops because of crouds of youths, what right do they have to stop his business.
They always go home.
If the price was £50 I would use one outside my home where they hang about, I been threatened by youths before. Many eldery and disabled people have been attacked and hurt for no reason going about their lawfull business.

Eric, Hastings, UK

I have already commented on this matter, but some commenters seem to think that 100% all of today's youngsters are yobs, shoplifters, druggies and knife-and-gun gangsters.

I am not - none of my friends are - I am 13.

Timothy Foxley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

It does absolutly nothing as it hasnt been designed by professionals. The news reporters have been talking rubbish saying it only affects teenagers hearing. Anybody will be able to hear this regardless of age. ITs a complete sob story. They are just repeating what they have been told even though it is totally incorrect. IT does absolutely nothing. Were not talking about something the fbi have designed here. IF anything high frequency sounds are used by goverment agents to make people more alert in training. SO this high pitch noise could produce a more efficient asasins

mike, devon, uk

It works three times. Thereafter, the kids can never hear that high frequency again. Known as a deafening sound.

David Thomas, San Diego, USA

Ever heard of ear plugs? It's not like this device is REALLY keeping anyone away by force. Many kids these days have iPod phones in their ears anyway.

Did you ever notice that the electronic circuitry of your CRT-based telly makes the same sort of high-pitched noise? No complaints there!

I don't see how you can make a case for discrimination when it's so easy to defeat the device if you are absolutely serious about hanging out in that particular stretch of sidewalk!

Also, the devices are being used outdoors. You won't hear the sound when you are shopping inside. These frequencies don't travel through walls or around corners very easily.

Mark C. Lowe, Argyle, TX USA

I have a two year old son. He isn't a hoodie, he doesn't terrorise old women and he doesn't have enough language to tell me when he hears this. One of my friends has a one week old son. Both of these would be affected by this device - why should they suffer? The company says that it only sells them where there are problems - so why was I able to buy one yesterday to be put up on my wall after I said that I had neighbours with children next door (I didn't actually buy it as I said I'd get back to them, but they were more than willing to sell it to me!). This device is nothing short of a torture device, it is aimed at all children, from the youngest to people in their early 20s, and some shops leave it on all day long. If we couch this in terms of I'm a shop keeper and I am going to put something up to annoy babies, would it sell? Of course not, but that is what this is!

Mark Jones, Cardiff,

The relevant point here is not whether shopkeepers have the right to keep lawless youths away from their shops (which they do) but that you cannot assume that everyone under the age of 25 is a criminal. I am 22 years old、have a degree from an excellent university and am currently training to be a teacher, hardly a danger to the public or even a nuisance. Just because I am less than 25 years old why should I be made to leave a public place where I wish to be. Can no-one over the age of 25 remember being under it? Stop teating young people as if they are all automatically engaged in criminal activities and let them get on with their lives like your generation let you do!

Katharine Brecknell, Worcester, U.K.

What has happened to equality? I struggle to find much on these forums, although i applaud those people unaffected by these devices who still oppose them. As a law abiding person under the age of 21, I find it appalling that my rights, as a legal adult, should be abused in this way. Age discrimination is a recognised problem in society, and yet when the positions are reversed, and it is the young, as an indiscriminate group who are targeted, our rights are being abused.

If shopkeepers seek to cure the problem of loitering, that terrible crime, there are dozens of ways in which this could be attempted. Maybe they aren't as effective, but since when has vigilantism been justifiable on the grounds of efficiency?

Come on Britain, come to your senses, this is not a step in the right direction, this is a potential criminal offence, under nuisance laws, discrimination laws, or possibly even a criminal assault. I hope common sense prevails and they are banned quickly.

Edward Murdoch, Glasgow, UK

Am I missing something.
It is only a high freq sound thus it is not age but hearing ie some 70 year olds have hearing as good as 20 year olds.
Fact some 20 and 30 year old s havea hearing loss.
All the bad kids have to do is listen to their stolen ipods or use ear defenders/ ear inserts.
Noise is a against the law ?and is pollution?
who will enforce this ?
H igh Freq sounds can trigger tinnitus.

Jay, Manchester uk, uk

I was rather like James H at school as where my friends, it would have been hard to pin the 'hoodie' label on us even when we where in them.
Now at 22 I have more disposable income then anyone 25+ I know. I also use public transport and plan to stay car free until it becomes unworkable.
Why should I stop where this terrible noise is used? Why would I shop with fussy tots and increasingly frustrated parents? Why would you want to push someone like me who is listening to all that is said about using public transport into getting a car by installing these things in bus stops?
I can't be 100% because I have trouble with some other frequencies but I think I heard this on and off walking down Oxford St (London). Way to revive the high street, watch me take my business to Amazon.
On yeah and this is without human rights which apply closer to the time of conception each day

Annie, Bucks,

Funny we didn't have the problems with children like this back in my day. Children didn't have rights. The only rights a child had were those given by the parents. If they abused their rights, they were taken away, and their ears were boxed. When they become adults, they can have their rights. At that time, they are responsible for their actions and not their parents.

Dave, Kansas CIty, Missouri, USA

Do you legislate that shop owners cannot play Classical music in the vicinity of their private businesses? Mozart and Beethoven are equally as discriminatory against teenagers as the Mosquito. Ban them. It's for the kids.

Wool sweaters, brussel sprouts, and modern art all cause a degree of stress to the young. Ban them. It's for the kids.

Mandatory school attendance is extremely discriminatory towards the young. Ban it? Why not?

The idea that the "underlying problem" of loitering is not solved by the Mosquito is a ridiculous argument to ban it. Those suggesting such a thing point to the parents as the problem, but what are business owners to do? Should they leave their shops to teach discipline and respect to other other people's children? Pull your heads out and look around!!!

howard p, Charleston, SC / USA

Forget abou the "£500 Mosquito device" and download the MP3 or Wav file of the 17.5 Mhz tone and play it through your computer's speakers. We tried it as an experiment in class, and it works fine and is VERY effective. Next day a pupil had it as a ring tone on his mobile - teachers and other adults couldn't hear it when his phone rang in class. A web search should easily find a downloadable audio file; I found it on a number of sites.

Sound Man, Glasgow, UK

I agree its not ideal, but what have the Police and shop owners got left ?, they cant touch the kids for fear they will be arrested, give the police and schools back some power to discipline the kids.
Since My local ones have been switched off, I now have "gangs " of kids around the shops and litter around the local streets.

dave, Corby, UK

I'm all for it. If they blame lack of a place for kids to gather, then build one. Let the shop owners and law abiding manage their own properties and if they don't want kids around, so be it.

rdj, brun, UK

If you treat children like that they become aggressive and difficult to teach when at school. The shopkeeper couldn't care, of course, as long as the problem is moved from his front door.

Malcolm McLean, Bradford, UK

Whoever invented this device should be awarded a medal. What a fantastic device! Tough for all those poor bleeding hearts-on-their-sleeves whose sympathies always lie with the criminals instead of the victims. The good thing is that, even if it is outlawed, it can't be uninvented and there will be a huge market for the product. Ironic that it is called a mosquito when its purpose is to get rid of similar irritating pests.
The next thing must be something to get rid of them for good.

Steve, Sutton,

This device exposes people to high frequency sounds.

On building sites this causes deafness.

There is no reason why the effect on adolescents should be any different.

And unlike birds who have the ability to grow back microscopic hairs in the ear and so never suffer from deafness or acute hearing loss, humans would suffer from such a device.

Dave Smith, Geneva, Switzerland

I work in the field of Electronic Security Systems and appalled how these devices ever got approval. What next, an electrical perimeter fence to stop youths congregating. I wonder what else these high frequency transducers interfere with.

Ken Stanborough, Liverpool,

Now I know what that was.

On a recent shopping trip to Britain I kept hearing this extremely annoying sound, at various places. To me, it sounded like a very loud TV. Not a flat panel, an old tube TV. Not everyone can hear it, but some people hear a high pitched whine from them that is extremely annoying.

On a walk along the street, I can tell you which houses have a TV on and which do not.

For me, it made my shopping trip considerably less enjoyable.

Mind you, I am not a teenager, I am 33 years old. But I still heard that buzz/whine plenty fine.


Terribly annoying, and a good way to send anyone with sensitive ears the other way.

Elowyn, Portland, Oregon

This device is just one more way for parents and members of the community to care even less about kids and become even less involved in anyone else's life.

This mentality is plainly and simply "you annoy me, I annoy you." How has that mentality EVER solved any problems?

What needs to be done is to engage the youth of the community and be on their side. Why do they keep doing these violent acts and lashing out? Obviously, they have needs and concerns that aren't being taken care of and these are just desperate cries and retaliations against the community that doesn't care. If you don't care about them, they sure won't care about you and the outbreaks are bound to get worse by brushing them off. But if we become their supporters and mentors, they will lose the will and reason to be so angry and violent.


p.s. I'm sure all the infants and toddlers love this device.

Josh K, Omaha, USA

Rational? Paranoid is more like it.

There is absolutely no doubt that the device targets ALL people under 25. I can't wait until the 'old folks' version comes out so I can disperse all the righteously moralistic, conservative, and crotchety away from my person and places of business, not to mention the polling booths.

How can you so easily discount someone like Mr. Hewwitt?

Chris, Washington, DC, USA

I agree with Robert Jones, NY.
Classical music is a good alternative - and perhaps the themes that don't send them scurrying, might just kickstart development of new learning networks in the brains of these young people and motivate them to go on and do something useful with their lives.

Jean Booth, Hague, NL

It's disturbing to see the establishment in the UK rail against their own children. Having grown up in the UK but now living in the US I can't even begin to imagine such a disgusting practice.

The failure of the UK's school system and attrociously low entertainment standards are to blame, not the kids themselves.

The inventors shoud be ashamed of themselves. Perhaps I shall invent something only adults can hear and place it around places adults congregate? Like the Houses of Parliament for example, which seems to have a much larger congregation of people causing harm than any bunch of children...

Jonathan Harrop, Fayetteville, AR, USA

if you want to harm a shop or a school ,you wont be annoyed by the sound because you have decided to do this.!logic is all you need in england.....!

panos, piraeus,

Gotta love them complaining about people downloading ringtones off "unlicensed sites". You can copyright a specific frequency now?

Rawling, Bath,

As for any behaviour control device, the important question is:
whose finger is on the button?
If just anyone is allowed to use these things, in any situation, without any justification, then of course that must be changed.

Two specious points that have been made:

1 Discrimination: "Since only useful against certain groups (in this case, those with higher freq hearing) it should be banned on the grounds of discrimination".

-But this argument inevitably applies to many crime deterrence & prevention methods, eg:
"detachment of earnings orders" - discriminate against working people (predominantly adults);
parking fines - discriminate against people whose limited financial resources cause the fines to hurt;
long prison sentences discriminate against those with a comparably long life expectancy, etc

2 "Inconveniences the innocent": Again what's new? Same true of most counter-crime methods. Potential harm must simply be weighed against the benefits of the protection from the guilty.

Dave, London,

Many non-English people are unaware of the current societal norms in the UK. Political correctness and other left of center madness has created a culture hooligans and street crime that has become alarming. English children used to be polite and well mannered but many have become monsters. The police will do nothing, the parents also do nothing. The UK legal system protects criminals and not victims. Street crime in the UK is out of control.

Compare the UK soaring crime rates to more civilized countries in Europe like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark. The shop keepers, homeowners and others in the UK know the police will do nothing to stop these monsters. Let them keep the Mosquito.

Franc, West Palm Beach , USA, FL

I fully agree. These devices are unsafe and unfair. Therefore I propose that any parent who has a teen who might hang out in front of betting parlors and liquor stores should just keep these kids home at night as a form of protest. Let's show those do-gooders who is really in charge. If we all take our kids off the street, think of all the spare time that the Police will have on their hands! That will show them.

Parents! Unite with your hooligan off-spring and boycott the streets until it's safe for your young yobs to terrorize society in peace again!

Olden Atwoody, Reading, UK

An antidiscrimination group complains that the device is too indescriminate! I love it!!! This could not be more perfect.

Joe, Durham, NC - USA

There are a great number of children who constantly emit a high pitched irritating noise which only adults can hear and no one is worried about the damage to their nervous system. If this excellent device is banned, so should all ipod and mobile phone 'music' playing devices.

Tom, Chester,

I can see using these where there would be no legitimate reason for a person under 25 to be, for instance, behind my wife's veterinary hospital. The area is for employees only, but since it is shielded from the street, it's where teens congregate after hours to drink, do drugs and vandalize the property.

ToddC, Shapleigh, Maine, USA

We've found that playing "Classical Music" has the same effect!

Except that you get a lot of little old ladies hanging around!

Norm, Memphis, USA/Tennessee

Proliferation of technology & technological weapons leads to nowhere. There should be some other ways to overcome the propblem - education, education, education? Probaly the "feral youth" should be kept busy & usefully ocupied.

Pam, St.Petersburg,

why not play annoying noises in shopping centres to deter shoplifters ... maybe because it is indiscriminate and would affect everyone, good or bad. This is indiscriminate. I bet that had all the older people in support of this device been made to listen to it when they were younger then their views would change.

joe, london,

I can still hear in the frequency range of the device in question and I am 41 years old! I find ultrasonic jewellery cleaners to be painful to be near and I would be more than a little belligerent to a shopkeeper that implemented such a device deliberately to chase people away. If I find myself with a splitting headache from one of these devices, I will seek legal action against any shopkeeper using the device without explicitly warning me before I am in the area of effect. I may also consider a call to the police on the grounds of assault upon my person.

Lane Lombardia, Stamford, USA/Connecticut

Does anyone care that babies can hear this thing? Has anyone ever considered what would happen if a baby was in hearing range of one of these things and the mother would have no idea her baby was being driven mad by it.

By the way, I can hear the mosquito tones despite being in my 30's. I haven't heard one of these sonic weapons, but I have heard the cell phone ringers.

Chris, Houston, Texas/USA

I agree in principle - but what about adults with small children and babies - their parents won't realise that their little ones are being driven crazy by the noise. Not that I am defending parents who stand around on street corners with their children...but it does happen and it should be taken into account.

Jackie, London,

definately not the answer by next year you'll all be complaining that kids are getting too fat or spending too much time on there computers

matt, manchester,

As far as I'm aware the Human Rights Act doesn't cover this device the device certainly doesn't discriminate against these young people!

Stephen, St. Ives, England

I am at school, I am a good person with 100% attendance and targeted to get 13 B-A*'s in my GCSE's... I'm also somewhat of a geek if people want to call me that.

I also have to catch the bus home every day because I live over 4 miles away from school. Unfortunately someone decided it was a good idea to put one of these things inside the bus terminal and now I am forced to stand daily for almost 30 minutes listening to my migraine forming.
This thing is incredibly loud and incredibly painful to me, and I do karate so its not like I cant take getting punched but this buzzing is considerably worse than that.

You may want to pull the 'yobs' and 'hooligans' excuse on me but I can say that out of my year group of 100, only 15 are the ones that like to hang out in the streets and even less are the type to mischeif. The vast majority are the kind of sleep-over girls and the gamer/geek/sporty groups who gather in peoples houses where they do nothing but laugh... unless they catch the buss.

James Hewwitt, Barnsley, Uk

The people most annoyed about stereotypes and discrimination should be annoyed at the disproportionate misbehavers giving certain groups, including young people, a bad name, rather than the rest of society reacting in a rational manner.

Carney, Maryland, USA

All you have to do to prevent teen agers from congregating is play classical baroque music - works like a charm.

Warren Kammerer, Lake County, IL

A wonderful invention. And there is a pocketsized version available that is perfect to use on the family with noisy children that sits down in the booth next to you in a restaurant. It clears them out in a matter of minutes so you can eat in peace.

Anything that keeps the little monsters away is a good thing.

Chuck, Waukesha,

I agree with Dave in Crystal Lake, USA -- my lovely garden cannot be enjoyed because of motorcyles, loud music, parties, boom boxes, foul mouthed kids and adults alike. I would like to have one to keep the rude of all ages from hanging out around my home so I can enjoy it!

Mary, Los Angeles, CA, USA

This does no more prevent access to areas than a bad smell. For those who think it is no different to racial discrimination - you have clearly missed the point. All this does is prevent people from lingering in trouble hot spots, much like a police presence would. Hows about stopping all police patrols too, after all, their presence is stressful even for law abiding teenagers and infringes their rights to gather as they wont want to...

In fact, lets stop all deterrents and hope the "carrot" methods works.... Get real people - this isn't utopia.

Teenagers in small groups are fine, most are nice enough. When allowed to gather they become antisocial, violent and intimidating - this is a FACT.

If you call the police they have "more important things to do".
If you go out to stop them you become a target, Warrington is clear evidence for those who have never tried and seen for themselves. We are not talking "being noisy", we are talking criminal damage and drug use on a large scale.

James (26), Wigan, UK

I want one...lol

Jay, Winchester, California, USA

Shami Chakrabarti's asks: "What type of society uses a low-level sonic weapon on its children?" Simple, a society which is unable to control its children. Britain.

Nick Mortimer, London,

I have to put up with loud motorcycles, loud boom boxes, loud car radios and loud foul language in public places. Why is this so special? The loud motorcycles only bother those not riding one. The loud boom boxes only seem to bother anyone older than kids. The loud foul language only seems to bother those other than rude idiots. Let's be fair about this. Maybe have the Mosquito put out two frequencies, one to bother the kids and another to bother adults. That would be fair.

Dave, Crystal Lake, USA, IL

So, would it now be acceptable to put up devices emitting chemicals that reacted with different levels of skin pigmentation to disperse large racial groups? I don't see the difference between this practice (or discriminating instead on grounds of sex) and the mosquito device.

As for the ignorant invoking of freedom of speech by Simon Morris in the article, how absurd. Has he ever heard of freedom of movement? Its the one he and Mr Stapleton have earned a fortune trampling all over. How about freedom from cruel and unusual punishments. Yet we allow these men to get rich in our society because we're afraid of kids? (Incidently, these devices would do nothing to protect firemen or prevent the beating to death of a father recently).

Andrew from Hamilton is right - we should be ashamed of ourselves. Ban these devices - and I suppose prosecuting the men who've grown fat from them is too much to hope for?

david slade, Leicester, England

This is a great device.

The youth of today think they can get away with anything, and they normally can.

When I was younger I never hung around outside - what is the point?

Those of you who think that these kids are harmless have never visited a low income, terraced, red brick housing area where ferral youths throw bricks through windows for kicks. The people in these areas are in a living hell.

Go back to sipping on your extra frothy lattes and keep your nose out of a debate that doesn't even involve you.

I say all this and despite being 29, I can actually hear this device - but it's a small price worth paying.

Chris, London,

As an alternative, I would suggest the usage of audio speakers to play slow, sad, classical music. The shiftless and unproductive youth will not want to be found loitering in an area blanketed by this type of music. It does not have to be terribly loud in order to be effective.

Robert Jones, New York, NY

Rather than seeking our freedom, we seek to be free from others by preventing them from being free. It seems rational, but the results wont be freedom for anyone.

Wrathos, Mission Viejo, USA / California

As a perfectly law abiding teenager, I wonder why my human rights are allowed to be infringed in such a manner. Tarring us all with the same brush isn't a solution and creates a lot of resentment.

If Claire from Ipswich truly feels her rights are being infringed then maybe she should call the police or security if its available. That's what they are there for after all.

Laurence Bates, Redhill,

Pavements are public rights of way. They don't need banning; people who install Mosquitos should be prosecuted under existing laws to deal with public nuisance.

Christ only knows what the long-term effects are for someone repeatedly exposed to the device from babyhood onwards, particularly when they lack the ability to complain about the noise or move elsewhere while their parents are oblivious.

Samuel, Bristol,

The law provides a right to make ordinary and ‘reasonable use’ of the highway. A peaceful assembly that does not prevent other people from using the highway (or pavement) is likely to be seen as a ‘reasonable ’. Conversely unreasonable obstruction of the highway and pavements is a criminal offence.
I'd say that blocking the pavement for hours on end for no purpose is 'unreasonable'.
The police should enforce the law. Why don't they?

Jason White, Paris,

Just because a person in his thirties or beyond cannot hear the sound doesn't mean that it isn't raising stress levels and possibly causing damage of unknown kinds. This practice needs to be banned. Store owners have a right to remove vagrants or ban people who repeatedly cause problems. This is NOT the way to solve anything.

boone, garland, tx, usa

To those who think this deeply sick device is a 'good thing', congratulations for dehumanising an entire generation of children & young adults from 0-25. If they weren't feeling excluded from society before, being driven off from department stores like they were cockroaches or rats, irrespective of good or bad behaviour, will do the trick nicely.

You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Andrew Fernie, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire

First thing I'd like to say is I live in Ealing, West London, a heavily populated multi-ethnic area, and I have never had any problems with "anti-social" behaviour of youngsters. Yes, you see youngsters standing around and having a laugh - just like we did when we were their age.

Perhaps people could be more concise about what they consider anti-social behaviour to be. Is just 'hangin' around' anti-social? I do wonder if some people don't just resent the young for their youth - remember the hoodie debacle!

With respect to this device, it is the indiscriminate nature that is the problem. Recently a car crashed into my garden gate whilst reversing. So is the answer to vilify all car drivers to "protect my human rights"? I saw an old man dropping litter the other day. So should we demonise all old men? This is absurd.

And finally remember 'mods and rockers', remember 'punks'?, remember football hooliganism. The old moaning about the young is nothing new. Plus ca change!

Mark Collins-Cope, London, London

Let's just remember a gang of teenages has just been jailed for beating a man to death, firemen have claimed to be under increasing attacks from violent teenagers and another man is in intensive care after a violent and unprovoked assult from drunken teenagers. As ususal Liberty is putting the rights of criminals above the rights of people who actually care for their communitites.

Luke Nicolaides, London, UK

I am approaching middle age and still have excellent high-frequency hearing. I simply won't shop where any annoying headache-causing sound is present.

That said, I also don't shop where annoying headache-causing teenagers are present.

Critics have valid points: it's not fair, and it's not a solution. But until someone comes up with a fair solution, something still has to be done. In fact, if waiting for the government to come up with a solution, lots of things will have to be done for a very long time.

Dan Fearnley, Oxford, UK

To those who feel hasseled and abused by ALL youths, maybe you should examine your own behaviour. this device is indiscriminant and employed in areas where i, as legally recognised adult, have every right to be. i frequently travle through Liverpool St. station (london) and now suspect they use this device. yes it is only mildly annoying, it's like a constant squeking, and i'm only in the station briefly but i wonder what it does for the sanity of my peers who work there.

Toby, London, 24

We have a mosquito outside where I work. The kids are no longer a problem .. are they not infringing my human rights by causing a disturbance in the first place.

Claire, Ipswich, UK

Good. They should have one for parents who let their kids wander the streets untill the early hours. It will go off in their front room where they sit plugged into their TVs. It turns off when their kids are at home and not causing criminal damage in the neighbourhood.

I'd quite like one on my mobile. Walking to my local shop after dark would be like the parting of the Red Sea.

Salty, Reading,

I recall being a kid and hearing this kind of high pitched whine coming from cash register areas in certain department stores in the mall. I always thought it was strange they would discourage their own customers like this. Now that I'm older I don't hear it anymore.

brian v, raleigh, nc, US

Such devices and similar should be banned. They cause a lot of discomfort to my wife when she goes to our local shop. A similar device for putting off dogs and cats defecating in ones garden is available. However, I know that children and indeed may adults can in fact hear the device.

The problem is that such devices are indiscriminate and cause discomfort to many.

Andrew, Manchester, UK

Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, the Children's Commissioner wants this device banned because he is they 'indiscriminately' target young people. I was recently had a brick thrown at my car as I drove past a group of youths. Perhaps we should make bricks illegal to!

Tom, Somerset, South - West

If I understand this article correctly what this device does is make all young people suffer for the unsociable behaviour of just a few. As the correspondent says it will only disperse groups of youths, it doesn't do anything to address the causes of their anti-social behaviour. Oh, yes, I forgot to ask, how does it deal with the anti-social behaviour of the over-25s?

Neil, Cheltenham, England

If this device is sold to police forces, local authorities and shopkeepers for £500, you can be sure its production cost is very considerably less, so Messrs Morris and Stapleton have a strong commercial interest in insisting how effective it is in moving troublesome teenagers away...to annoy someone else where no device is present, so more devices are required and they spread like CCTV cameras until saturation point is reached and the company directors turn into multi millionaires. Brilliant. Wish I'd thought of that.

Bob, St Albans, Herts, UK

How about the rights of those who are hasseled and abused by youths?

Andrew Brown, derby, UK

Okay, so it is alright for these youths to congregate and act in anti-social ways but it is against their rights for anyone to try and use this device to disperse them? What about the rights of the other people? This is not a permanent solution but until something better comes along and as long as it works I say use it.

Bonnie, Florida, USA