ABSTRACT
In the most general sense, noise is an unwanted sound. This inherent relativity in the framing of sound as noise complicates the process of creating limitations concerning which types of sounds are legally allowed to be emitted, when, around whom, and for what duration. Technological advancements have changed the scope of noise. An analysis of noise restrictions must include changes in our cultural context, as digital technologies have undeniably altered our "normal" soundscape. A contemporary analysis of noise as both a natural and social phenomenon must also account for the influence of our proliferating personal digital technologies, which have fundamentally altered the meaning of "acceptable" noise. This chapter describes the changing regulatory landscape about what constitutes noise and the cultural norms reflected therein. Noise nuisance policy is a double-edged sword, given that one side benefits from less noise while the other loses out on more opportunities to express themselves.
