Pokemon Go can be a fun game for adults and kids alike. It can also be a tool for criminals and predators. The State of New York doesn’t want that tool to happen. New York bans Pokemon from registered sex offenders.
This is under the jurisdiction of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. This new law forbids registered sex offenders on parole from playing any online game, especially Pokemon Go. Governor Cuomo wrote Niantic, Pokemon Go’s developers. He called on Niantic to prevent offenders from signing up. NY State Senators Jeffrey Klein and Diane Savino came up with this law. They toured neighborhoods in which registered sex offenders lived. They discovered many Pokemon Go stops. Senators Klein and Savino worry registered sex offenders can use the ‘lure’ part of the game to entice children and underage teens. So, Senators Klein and Savino created a bill banning registered sex offenders from Pokemon Go, and all online games. This new law has it’s controversies. Cuomo insists this law will only affect the 3,000 registered sex offenders on parole. Some critics argue the law won’t be effective. Some argue this could be the start to online gaming censorship.
It do see Cuomo, Klein and Savino’s concern. In Missouri, robbers used the Pokemon Go lure app. But it wasn’t to get Pokemon points. They used the lure app to jump innocent people and rob them of their possessions. If robbers can do it, what’s to stop child predators from this kind of evil? Fortunately, I haven’t heard of any registered sex offender stooping this low. But if this law keeps children safe, then pass it and above all, enforce it! Just keep the law’s focus where it needs to be. This is not an excuse to trample on the rights of innocent New York citizens. Do you think this law is the right course of action?