Pokemon Go (as we’re sure you’ve noticed!) is the latest mobile craze. People all around the world (young and old) are playing this game in droves. Catching Pokemon is the name of the game, and Pokemon can be seen anywhere including in the middle of highways and on private property.
While catching Pokemon is fun, it can also be dangerous and border on some legal issues that we want to warn you about before you run into some serious trouble.
Trespassing
No matter what you are doing (even if you are playing a game), you simply cannot trespass on private property. So if you spot a Charmander in the middle of a field and you see the sign ‘private property,’ do not try and chase the Charmander. You’ll just have to let this one go.
Angry Acts
When people get into a group (any kind of group) strange things can happen. Sometimes those things lead to violence. If you are out chasing Pokemon with some friends and someone happens to be in the way of a Pikachu, consider where you are before you act with violence. Everyone has the right to enjoy public spaces, so keep this in mind when chasing Pokemon. Violent public acts could land you in jail.
Basic Safety
The other thing we want to draw your attention to is basic safety. There have been incidents of people chasing Pokemon in the middle of highways and roads, looking for Pokemon down gutters and drains, and searching for Pokemon in dangerous places.
Before you try and capture any kind of Pokemon, ask yourself one question: will I hurt myself or anyone else in the process? If the answers are ‘yes’, think twice before acting. We do not want you to get hurt!
It’s a Game
Sure, Pokemon Go is fun and it’s an amazing use of augmented reality (bravo, Niantic!), but it’s still a game. Please be careful out there, remember not to break any laws, and never harm yourself or someone else.
