Teens Treated Like Pests Fight Back!



The Mosquito Teen RepellentThe “teen buzz” mosquito ringtone began as a device used for purposes quite different than the ones teens use today for ‘silently’ transmitting text messages and receiving phone calls in class. In fact, if it hadn’t been for the development of this high pitched frequency for mobile phone ringtones, our youth would probably have a much more negative outlook on the noise. The teen buzz mosquito ringtone actually began as a security device to keep teens away from shops and restaurants. Developed by Howard Stapleton, the mosquito ringtone, originally called “Mosquito Teen Repeller” was initially used to repel teens from the problem areas in England. Since adults couldn’t typically hear the buzz, shopkeepers played the buzz to sweep away pesky, loitering teenagers. The Mosquito Teen Repeller caught on and proved a successful tool for shopkeepers as the noise became too annoying for teens to handle.

 

Now, while the Teen Repeller may have proved helpful to shopkeepers looking for a less crowded storefront, it certainly did not help bridge any gaps between the youth and older generations. This “pest repellent” tended to make teenagers feel like insignificant, contemptible mosquitoes! (as the name so kindly puts it.) After all, teenagers make up a great percentage of the consumer market; it only seems logical that they should be treated with the same kind of respect and courtesy as anyone else. It is no wonder then that teens developed a way to use this very weapon for their own devices. It is not certain who first found a way to use this noise on cell phones, but teenagers definitely ran with the idea, sending text messages to one another and receiving calls in class unbeknownst to their teachers. Whether this usage can be called a rebellion, or a cruel manipulation, I think it’s appropriate to say what goes around comes around!