RESOLUTION
Authorizing the Committee on Children and Youth to hold hearings on the impact of sonic
devices on young people on public property.
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia manages public recreation centers and parks for residents,
particularly young people, to build community and participate in recreational and social
opportunities – the enjoyment of which is essential to youth development, and has been shown to
reduce violence and promote well-being; and
WHEREAS, It is a core principle, articulated by the National Recreation and Park Association,
that our public spaces should be equally accessible and available to all people regardless of
income level, ethnicity, gender, ability, or age; and
WHEREAS, In 2012, the Department of Parks and Recreation began installing sonic devices
commonly marketed as “Mosquitos” in public parks and recreational centers in an effort to
prevent vandalism. These devices emit high-frequency sounds between the hours of 10:00pm
and 6:00am, which are audible to young people as well as some adults both at the sites and
potentially on adjacent streets and sidewalks. To date, at least thirty-three sonic devices have
been installed in approximately thirty-three parks and recreation centers; and
WHEREAS, The primary manufacturer of the “Mosquito” is a Vancouver-based company that
told media outlets that its product is intended for private property, which public parks and
recreation centers are not, and is targeted directly at youth between the ages of 13 and 25; and
WHEREAS, The company justifies its intentional targeting by purporting: “Youth commit more
criminal code offences, such as assaults, robbery and homicides, than adults… Many crimes go
unreported every year, and they often result from youth gang activity and loitering.” Such
comments come out of deeply offensive stereotypes and inaccurate biases against youth that
have been debunked by psychologists and criminologists; and
WHEREAS, Health regulators warn that lengthy exposure to sonic noises is known to cause
dizziness, headache, nausea and impairment in those most impacted by the sound. Research from
the German Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health indicates that small children
and infants are especially at risk to the harms of extended high frequency exposure; and
WHEREAS, According to the Department of Parks and Recreation, at least one device had to be
adjusted after a local media outlet documented complaints that the sounds went beyond the
intended boundaries; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, the United Nations (“UN”) Committee on the Rights of the Child called
on the United Kingdom to prohibit the use of sonic devices targeted at young people. The
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 Committee found that the use of sonic devices infringed on international principles and human
rights such as freedom of movement and peaceful assembly. It is also found that sonic devices
violate an individual’s right to physical integrity under Article 8 of the European Convention on
Human Rights; and
WHEREAS, Vancouver school systems removed the devices in 2012 due to human rights and
policy concerns about the device. At least two American cities have banned these devices based
on discrimination and ethical grounds. In Washington D.C., local lawmakers banned Mosquito
devices after members of the National Youth Rights Association (NYRA) filed a complaint with
the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights alleging the device was discriminatory against
youth and illegal. Similarly, following the NYRA’s campaign in Hastings, Minnesota, the
Department of Parks and Recreation Commission banned sonic devices for ethical reasons; and
WHEREAS, Despite this information, the Department of Parks and Recreation has determined
that sonic devices will remain in Philadelphia public parks indefinitely; and
WHEREAS, As Philadelphia considers the use of these devices, it is important to fully consider
and weigh their impact as well as manage any issues or concerns in a non-discriminatory way;
and
WHEREAS, Any City-level conversations and initiatives to preserve safe and welcoming public
recreational centers and parks or to prevent vandalism and crime must thoughtfully engage
young people as fellow problem solvers and key stakeholders; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes
the Committee on Children and Youth to hold hearings on the impact of sonic devices on young
people on public property.
Introduced by:
Helen Gym
Councilmember At-Large

Isaiah Thomas
Councilmember At-Large

Kendra Brooks
Councilmember At-Large
Jamie Gauthier
Councilmember, 3rd District
Katherine Gilmore Richardson
Councilmember At-Large
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