Does Pokemon Go go too far?
@CRK109 (14558)
United States
August 11, 2016 11:16am CST
Back in 2003, a local nightclub had a horrific fire that killed 100 people. The fire was later attributed to negligence of the nightclub owners for not keeping the building safer when bands like Great White performed there and used pyrotechnics.
Since the fire, the site of the nightclub has become a memorial site for family members and friends of the dead to come and pray and visit. A permanent memorial is in the works to be put on that same site.
Recently, however, the memorial site has become a playground for Pokemon Go players. Survivors of the fire as well as friends and family members of those hurt, killed and/or survived have submitted complaints and are trying to have the site removed from the game in order to restore the site to its respectful and quiet nature.
Do you think the makers of the game have gone too far? I don't play the game so I don't know what to think at this point. If someone is visiting a memorial site to remember a loved one and suddenly people are running through the area trying to catch a pokemon character, I can see where that would be upsetting.
-Claudia-
image from pixabay
13 people like this
17 responses
@akalinus (40440)
• United States
11 Aug 16
Yes, I believe they went too far. There are pokies at military bases, hospitals, private property and homes, cemeteries, and even Area 51. People have been shot while playing it. It causes many accidents both in cars and in walking. It is just a matter of time before people are killed over a blip on a screen.
4 people like this
@paigea (35693)
• Canada
11 Aug 16
Yes the creators of the game should not be placing the characters in places where people expect some peace. If I were a player, I would hope I would have the sense to move onto another character instead of intruding in people's yards or in memorial places, etc.
3 people like this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
11 Aug 16
It should be easy to do. However, a lot of children play the game and let's face it - children don't do well with boundaries. So it would behoove the game's programmers to make some changes so that children aren't allowed to go into certain areas.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
11 Aug 16
I don't play the game, but I think the game does go too far! So many problems with this game by people going to memorial sites, walking off cliffs, getting stabbed, getting hurt, not watching where they're going, and so forth! We are trying to promote not texting driving/not walking with our eyes glued to the phone and this app doesn't help!
2 people like this
@infatuatedbby (95001)
• United States
11 Aug 16
@CRK109 yes! I've seen young kids like 9-15 years old plying and not even paying attention to where they're walking!
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
11 Aug 16
I've never played it, but people I know who do play it really enjoy it. But at least they are still respecting boundaries that need to be respected.
@Tampa_girl7 (48958)
• United States
11 Aug 16
I think that some of the locations where they play that game are definitely not appropriate. It is disrespectful.
3 people like this
@akp100 (13640)
• India
12 Aug 16
That is upsetting thing. And I guess the makers should take care of such places by not at least putting any character around this.
Honestly even I would love to play this game, but they haven't launched it officially in our country. So even I don't know more about its side effects so far.
@just4him (306237)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
12 Aug 16
I've heard a lot of stories about the game and the places people go. There are some places where the game should not go out of respect for the purpose of the site involved.
@Ronrybs (17849)
• London, England
11 Aug 16
I am not much of a computer games player and I am pleased to say this one has passed me by. I've read that some places are crying out for these things to be places at their locations, so you think it wouldn't take much effort to co-ordinate and avoid places important to people
1 person likes this
@ModernDayWriter (3318)
• New Delhi, India
11 Aug 16
It's funny same time embracing too
1 person likes this
@CaseyRoss9966 (4056)
• United States
12 Aug 16
This has been happening a lot and not just on this memorial ground either. You would think the game would have some way to control where the Pokémon are at and wouldn't put them in places like this.
@Drosophila (16573)
• Ireland
11 Aug 16
Unfortunately the game is based on "augmented reality", which is basically a "fantastical" simulation of the street map outside. So ya it is likely cemetery and monorial sites show up as other sites of significance in the virtual world.
I guess it's an oversight of the developers not to implement some sort of "censorship" into historically important places. So their peace and tranquillity is not disturbed.
However, I do believe it's an oversight and not exactly an intended action of the game.
@fcmondez (413)
• Quezon, Philippines
11 Aug 16
Yes, I think they should consider a lot of factors before marking a pokemon site. I just played the game this morning and two of the Pokestop are churches. If I were a priest and I see people going to church not to pray but to look for Pokemons, I'll find it really disrespectful. But if these people will take that as an opportunity to stop over to pray as well then I guess it is okay.
