We Want Media

Gawker’s video creates a (partially inaudible) buzz.

It’s no secret that technology has provided teens with the ultimate weapon: an inaudible cell phone ring/text alert that only they—and not their teachers— can hear. A shrill version of the noise has also been developed. And now Gawker wants you to test your endurance.

The site has challenged readers to film their own experience with the noise—allegedly audible to those 30 and younger—and has kindly posted a link to the insufferable din here. Spoiler alert: It’s really grating on the nerves.

The high-pitch frequency is an example of how technology is evolving and adapting to niche markets (i.e., teens or snooty shop owners). Not a bad way for teens to rebel, either. Silence—or the illusion thereof, for that matter—is golden, right? And hey, a little ingenuity never hurt anyone.