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Government refuses to ban “mosquitoes”

Noise child I've covered this issue very recently – contrary to the Council of Europe's urging, the Government has refused to ban "mosquito" devices which cause a very unpleasant sound supposedly audible only to children.

I note that commenter DavidNCL will be pleased to see the Government refuse to intervene in private business. I see that point, but to my mind the Government is wrong on this. The "mosquito" should be banned.

Now only would there be outrage if machines were designed to keep away people based on something as arbitrary as age, such as race. Furthermore, this device fails to distinguish between children – those who do nothing wrong are treated as badly as the worst tearaways.

And as I said last time (yes, I'm repeating myself, but I like this line) – failure to keep law and order and to educate children to behave properly shouldn’t be papered over with illiberal and borderline-cruel technology.

By Alex Deane

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Big Brother Watch Posted in Home
  • fairplay

    If the BPI or similar alleged copyright infringement then it would be banned in an instant regardless of the validity of the claim.

  • Jamie Davis

    I am 29, I can still hear these. Evil little devices. Needless to say, I boycott the store – Boots, Broadway, Plymouth in case you’re wondering.

  • DavidNcl

    If you dislike a mosquito deployed on someone’s private property (such as a car park) then don’t go there. Organise an economic boycott. Petition, picket or persuade. Prosecute them if the noise is polluting your property or “public” spaces.
    Using the coercive apparatus of the state to ban something because it’s not to your taste is much more illiberal than the technology. Try defying the state’s ban, and ignoring the consequent escalating sanctions.
    The problem with your approach of banning things is that it undermines both property rights and free markets both of which are crucial to freedom.

  • guy herbert

    If it is affecting you in the street or your own property, there is something you can do. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 defines as a statutory nuisance, noise prejudicial to health or a nuisance from premises, and from vehicles, machinery and equipment in the street. If the noise is sufficiently loud to be uncomfortable to you, then it is likely damaging your hearing, and therefore ‘prejudicial to health’. Local authorities *have a duty* to investigate nuisance noise, and powers to seize the mosquitoes – so complain!

  • Shatterface

    ‘Using the coercive apparatus of the state to ban something because it’s not to your taste is much more illiberal than the technology’
    What a crock of shit. The axiom of non-coercion applies to the *initiation* of aggression, and in this case it the arsewipes abusing children who are doing that initiation.
    You might as well claim the state has no right to ‘coerce’ local councils into not planting CCTV on every corner or that it has no right to ‘coerce’ airlines into not using body scanners.

  • DavidNcl

    @shatterface
    The children are invading someone property and are now subject to (proportionate) counter force. There are already laws to deal with such situation. If they or their guardians feel they have been abused or assaulted by being subjected to a noise – call the cops.
    Clearly, the state has no right to coerce airlines to act in any fashion. Other bits of the state such as “local” councils are another matter.

  • Shatterface

    How is this ‘proportionate’? Mosquito’s are a physical assault on children who are merely in the vacinity of someone else’s property.
    Those who operate mosquito’s are child abusers and should be put on a register.