Around 1.1 billion of young people, nearly 50% of all people aged 12-35, are at a risk of hearing loss due to listening to music through their personal audio devices. The World Health Organization has partnered with the International Telecommunication Union to release new international standard for manufacturers of devices that can replicate sound, such as smartphones and audio players. These standards would make personal audio devices safer for listening and lessen the risk of hearing loss associated with prolonged and excessive exposure to loud sounds.
“Given that we have the technological know-how to prevent hearing loss, it should not be the case that so many young people continue to damage their hearing while listening to music,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “They must understand that once they lose their hearing, it won’t come back. This new WHO-ITU standard will do much to better safeguard these young consumers as they go about doing something they enjoy.”
Currently, over 5% of the world’s population – 466 million people – has disabling hearing loss. It is projected that by 2050, more than 900 million people will have hearing loss impacting their quality of life. The recommendations from the World Health Organization include volume limiting options, personalized listening profile, and sound allowance that would track the level and duration of one’s listening experience. The new standards are voluntary and WHO recommends that governments and manufacturers adopt them in order to protect consumers from hearing loss.