Communication app for teens is inaudible to adults

BeepApp enables kids to communicate on the sly via their mobile phones, by producing an alert sound that is only audible to young people.

Teenagers have always found ways to communicate exclusively amongst themselves, creating secret languages and codes, much to the frustration of the adults in their lives. Now, the BeepApp makes it even easier for kids to communicate on the sly via their mobile phones, by producing an alert sound that is only audible to young people.

To begin, youthful smartphone users download the free app. Then, when they want to get the attention of their peers without alerting nearby parents and teachers, they simply press the button. This creates a clear, high-pitched beep at a frequency of 14,800 hz — a frequency inaudible to most adults, whose hearing will have begun to diminish.

The obvious risk with BeepApp is that it is likely to be used in environments such as lessons, where smartphones are often banned because of their negative effect on concentration and learning. Could the the tool be incorporated into a gaming app and used in a more positive way?