‘Loudcasting’ on the MTA

You’re riding the bus, or perhaps the subway. Maybe it’s early, and you’re headed to work — half-asleep, clutching a cup of coffee like a lifeline, watching the city rise with the sun through the window. Or maybe you’re on your way back home, tired to the bone after a long day of work or school, a heavy bag laden with books or a laptop biting into your shoulder.

Likely, you hear the usual sounds associated with this commute. The squeal of brakes, the muffled announcements over the loudspeakers, the soft chatter of those riding along beside you. Maybe you try to read, or catch up on text messages. Maybe you just try to stay awake.

And then, you hear the tinny, grating sound of some 10-second TikTok song clip playing, over and over again, at top volume.

The practice has been not-so-fondly dubbed “loudcasting,” and has drawn the attention not only of those sharing public spaces with the people participating, but has also been the subject of articles and opinion pieces from organizations including The New York Times, CNN, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal. An editorial on the topic was even run in The Riverdale Press’ sibling newspapers at Herald Community Newspapers, on Long Island, in April.

Now, amid that ongoing torrent of voices admonishing those who choose to loudcast the private world of their devices for all to hear, The Press adds its own to the mix.

There may be some instances in which headphones are not an option. But in the vast majority of cases — taking a casual FaceTime call on the Bx7, scrolling through Instagram reels on the 1 train — a low volume, or waiting until you have exited the closely-packed confines of public transit, does not seem a monumental ask.

Loudcasting creates a classic case of what economists call a negative externality. While the person loudly watching an influencer’s latest slime or restaurant review on their 8 a.m. commute may be getting some quick serotonin hits out of those videos, the noise is not limited to their personal bubble. It seeps into the eardrums of those around them — those who, typically, don’t enjoy hearing with such clarity a video they aren’t watching.

Of course, this also applies to those who board MTA transit blasting their music from a portable speaker, making all of their fellow riders a captive audience to their own personal playlist. There is something quite different about those who do this, and the musicians who stand on street corners and subway platforms, playing an instrument in hopes of making a few bucks. The musicians are sharing a talent, a passion with their fellow New Yorkers, with a goal in mind. The noise of buskers is part of the music of the city just as much as the boisterous children racing down the sidewalks after school lets out for the evening.

The noise of TikTok looping from a smartphone or heavy bass from a boombox vibrating a subway car — not so much.

So, as a basic rule of thumb, try to whip out the headphones next time you board the MTA. Or, at the very least, if you find yourself watching ASMR Facebook videos on a crowded bus with your volume turned more than halfway up, consider turning it down a few notches. Your fellow riders will thank you for your courtesy.