The Mosquito Alarm is repellent.

Let’s face it: nobody wants the attention of unwanted behaviour from youths outside their home. Not only can they indulge in anti-social behaviour and be overly loud, but they can also make you feel uncomfortable in your own home. By using the ultra-sonic youth deterrent known as Mosquito, these issues can be removed from the equation permanently.

If a crowd of teenagers decides your neighbourhood is the one they want to hang around, you can simply turn on the Mosquito for a few minutes and wait for them to disperse from the area.

The more times the Mosquito is put into action, the less likely any groups are going to start congregating in your area. Show them their presence isn’t welcome in a safe, harmless, and non-obtrusive way.

The statement above has been lifted from the website of Mosquito Loitering Solutions Ltd. Ever since I first read about these things I've thought they should be banned outright. Quite why it's seen as okay to combat alleged antisocial behaviour with what definitely is antisocial behaviour escapes me.

These things are a legitimatised assault on any young person who happens to come into their range. I cannot think of any other so called deterrent that unfairly effects such a wide section of the general public.

If anyone was looking for a way to alienate a group of people then the Mosquito must be a front runner. The vilification of young people is quite simply wrong and all to frequent these days. The attitude that this thing represents and reinforces is disgusting. The notion that groups of teenagers are an intimidating and real threat is one that is propagated by the media and companies like CCTV direct and Compound Security. The media alone has been quite successful in creating a climate of fear and suspicion about this and plenty of other presumed maladies of our times without other profiteering companies getting in on the act. Why they get away with doing so is another rant for some other time.

I would understand entirely if young people took it upon themselves to try and disarm everyone one of these that they could. It would certainly be no worse than the efforts there have been to destroy speed cameras.

Credit to them for not doing so and instead pursuing lawful means to campaign against the installation of the devices.

Good on the Children's Commissioner, Liberty, and The National Youth Agency for supporting a ban. Shame on the government for allowing young people to be victimised in this way.

Liberty Director Shami Chakrabarti 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."

Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England said:

"The use of measures such as these are simply demonising children and young people, creating a dangerous and widening divide between the young and the old. We are sending out the message that we as a society don't value our children and young people and we don't respect their rights as outlined in the United National's Convention on the Rights of the Child. This has to end now."

No longer a young person myself I won't be affected by the noise but all of my kids might. Whenever I come across one I will make sure never to buy anything in the vicinity of the shops they are serving to protect until the offending articles are removed.