Places are starting to think minors are bad for business because they’re more likely to cause disturbances (and often hang around without spending money)

A lot of these businesses are creating curfews for unaccompanied teens after around 2/3pm on Fridays and weekends, banning them on Fridays/weekends altogether, and/or banning them in the afternoon every day of the week (although some of the bans, like at the boardwalk, are after around 8pm). Some are banning them outright.

Another article less Philly centered

"They’re being unruly, violating code of conduct, which can include running through the property in large groups, fighting and putting it on TikTok, basically disrupting business and making it uncomfortable for our everyday customers”

Quote from the general manager of the oldest mall in New Jersey

    • Judge_Jury [comrade/them, he/him]@hexbear.net
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      1 year ago

      Yeah, loitering laws have been common for a while. Tmk they’re mostly used for harassing non-white and homeless people, but teens in general get some harassment too.

      This is the first I’ve heard of outright banning them, though

      • ssjmarx [he/him]@hexbear.net
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        1 year ago

        teens in general get some harassment too

        I remember when I was a teen a news story about malls playing a high pitched sound that old people couldn’t hear in order to annoy teens into leaving was going around. Never encountered it myself though.

      • mar_k [he/him]@hexbear.netOP
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        1 year ago

        Yeah and if you think about the fact gen z is the most racially diverse generation, there’s definitely some racial bias tied into ageism here. Gen Z is 50% non-white, and in urban areas especially, kids of color make up the majority

        Old white business owners probably see a lot of mostly non-white groups of teens, walking around laughing. Their first instinct is usually that they’re up to something.