Pokémon….Go or No Go?
The headlines regarding the newest cyber craze ‘Pokémon Go’ can be very troubling:
“Armed Robbers Used ‘Pokémon Go’ App to Lure Victims, Police Say”
“Sex offender nabbed playing ‘Pokémon Go’ with kid”
“Death by Pokémon? Public safety fears mount as ‘Pokémon Go’ craze continues”
“Pokémon pandemonium: Fake monsters spark real safety fears”
‘Pokémon Go’ started out as a fun app to get people out of the house and go places they may never have ventured before. Stephanie Lee writes that “it’s a great way for people to get out, explore places they never would have, and meet new people. And because the people you meet are also playing Pokémon Go, the game instantly provides common ground (just trying to catch that Pikachu) for you to easily bond with fellow trainers, or maybe forge incredible new friendships.” Dave Thier notes that the game is “…a new app from The Pokémon Company, Nintendo, and Niantic Labs that’s become and overnight sensation.” and is a combination of two words….Pocket and Monsters.
Unfortunately as the name implies and the headlines confirm, there are some real monsters out there waiting to take advantage of the unwary. Adults playing the game do so at their own risk, but parents should caution their children about the dangers also associated with it. In one instance several teens lured people to an area where they were robbed. Vanessa Borge alerts us to the dangers and writes “Miami Police say to make sure you do your best to supervise your children so they don’t do something illegal like trespassing while playing. Also, don’t play ‘Pokémon Go’ and drive. Catching Pikachu isn’t worth crashing.”
So, download the app…taking appropriate cybersecurity measures, enjoy the game, try to capture some monsters, but be safe doing it and avoid the real ones.
Sources
http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2016/07/14/sex-offender-nabbed-playing-pokemon-go-with-kid.html
http://www.foxnews.com/tech.html
Borge, V. (2016). Retrieved from the Internet at http://miami.cbslocal.com/2016/07/13/police-warn-of-pokemon-go-dangers-to-players-kids/
Lee, S. (2016). “What Is Pokémon Go and Why Is Everyone Talking About It?“. Retrieved from the Internet at http://lifehacker.com/what-is-pokemon-go-and-why-is-everyone-talking-about-it-1783420761
Thier, D. (2016). “What Is ‘Pokémon GO,’ And Why Is Everybody Talking About It?”. Retrieved from the Internet at http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidthier/2016/07/11/facebook-twitter-social-what-is-pokemon-go-and-why-is-everybody-talking-about-it/#57a9e1ab21c7
