{"id":6089,"date":"2016-07-28T09:00:16","date_gmt":"2016-07-28T13:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.thecompliancecenter.com\/?p=6089"},"modified":"2025-01-01T07:31:39","modified_gmt":"2025-01-01T12:31:39","slug":"pokemon-go-gotta-catch-em-all-safely","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/help-center\/articles\/pokemon-go-gotta-catch-em-all-safely\/","title":{"rendered":"Pok\u00e9mon Go: Gotta Catch \u2018Em All \u2013 Safely"},"content":{"rendered":"

Until recently, if you saw someone wandering down the street, eyes fixed to their smart phone, you might assume they were absorbed by texting \u201cSup?\u201d to all their friends. But there\u2019s a new craze\u00a0this summer, a game called Pok\u00e9mon Go<\/a>. While the game has been praised for getting couch potatoes out into the streets searching for digital creatures (the \u201cpocket monsters\u201d or Pok\u00e9mon) to collect, questions about player safety (as well as bad behaviour) have been a hot topic in the news.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at how you can enjoy hunting adorable imaginary monsters without getting hurt or\u00a0becoming a nuisance to others.<\/p>\n

What is Pok\u00e9mon Go?<\/h2>\n

Pok\u00e9mon Go is available in Canada and the U.S. as a free download for both Android and iOS phones. Once you download it, you discover the game has two main parts \u2013 hunting and fighting<\/p>\n

Your first task is to locate and catch Pok\u00e9mon. There are 142 types (Currently available in North America) that may be generated around the landscape. The game provides you with a map of your location, which will indicate, in a frustratingly vague manner, the Pok\u00e9mon available for capture in your general area. When one comes into range, your smartphone will vibrate and an adorable cartoon monster will appear on your phone screen. To catch it, flick a trap called a \u201cpok\u00e9ball\u201d at the creature (the thumb-flick, though easy, is not as accurate as the preferred forefinger-flick). Since Pok\u00e9mon have different strengths, the higher-ranked ones will be harder to catch. Once caught, they can be strengthened by feeding them candy and stardust. Sounds unhealthy, but they\u2019re like vegetables and whole grains to Pok\u00e9mon.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve established a stable of Pok\u00e9mon and reached the rank of \u201ctrainer\u201d, you can battle against players at \u201cPok\u00e9mon gyms,\u201d as you strive for pre-eminence over local trainers. There\u2019s no money involved in winning, but pride and glory await the trainer who can catch and raise the most powerful minions.<\/p>\n

The game, created by Niantic, Inc., is free to play, but extra pok\u00e9balls and other supplies are available as in-app purchases. Caches of free supplies may be found at \u201cPok\u00e9stops,\u201d located at local attractions such as parks, churches, museums, and public artworks. This encourages players to discover details about their local community that even long-time residents may have missed.<\/p>\n

So, Why the Concern?<\/h2>\n

Wild Pok\u00e9mon are generated relatively randomly, sometimes in places where it may be dangerous for players to go. These include private property, dangerous environments such as cliffs and waterways, and areas with high crime levels. Although most current reports of trainers being hurt or attacked are urban legends, enough incidents have occurred to make safety a concern. One player was stabbed while hunting down an elusive specimen <\/a> and another searching along a riverbank came across a real-life corpse<\/a>. A Toronto player is now in trouble with transit authorities for filming himself searching for targets on the subway tracks.<\/p>\n

Additional complaints have arisen from the location of the Pok\u00e9stops and gyms. While clusters of eager players may be welcomed at many spots (particularly in commercial areas), players have been seen behaving inappropriately at areas where respectful decorum is required, such as the Holocaust Museum and Arlington National Cemetery. While Niantic has a system for requesting the addition or deletion of a stop or gym, the massive response to the game has made it unlikely that such changes can be made quickly. It\u2019s up to the players themselves to behave responsibly.<\/p>\n

Steps for Safe Play<\/h2>\n

\"Pok\u00e9mon<\/p>\n

If you decide to join the hordes of prospective Pok\u00e9mon trainers, keep in mind that although the Pok\u00e9mon live in a virtual world, you don\u2019t. That means that the laws of society and nature still apply to your activities. Even the opening screen of the game reminds you to stay alert and aware of your surroundings at all times. Here are some suggestions to increase the fun and minimize the danger of your pok\u00e9pursuit.<\/p>\n