EU to introduce volume caps on MP3 players

Personal music players such as iPods will be made to play songs at reduced volumes or even carry health warnings, according to reports.

The EU will present a new mandate that will develop new standards for personal music devices, which will include MP3 players and mobile phones that play music through headphones.

It follows evidence from EU studies finding that five to 10 per cent of MP3 player users risked permanent hearing loss if they used them for more than one hour per week at high volume settings for at least five years.

Another survey by the Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID) found that 66 per cent of MP3 player users were listening to music louder than 85 decibels, which according to the World Health Organisation can cause permanent hearing damage over time.

"There will be default volume settings so people can protect themselves and there will be new information requirements either on the screen or on the devices themselves," a source in the European Commission's consumer affairs directorate told The Times.

"The aim is to make people aware that beyond certain noise levels you risk long-term damage to hearing, but users will be given a choice and have the option to override it if they want to."