The benefits and drawbacks of Pokémon GO have been reported on by practically every site on the face of the planet, but Brooklyn-based Democrat Felix Ortiz - who has previously taken a dim view of hoverboards, salt, alcohol and sugar - has stated that some form of legislation may be required to bring the AR game into line.
Speaking on Tuesday, he said:
Like any new technology, it has its advantages and disadvantages, and like any new technology, it has to be looked at very, very carefully. Everything comes down to people's responsibility as well as corporate responsibility. Every single one of us who might want to play this game have to be very cautious. Who's sending what, and what is the follow up? Everyone should be cautious to make sure that no intruders will be able to tap into this and have people think they're going to the park when in reality they're going to a be targeted by some rapist. People could think they're going to the bank, but in reality, someone is waiting to take their money.
However, Ortiz has stated that he's not looking to introduce legislation just yet. He expects Niantic and The Pokémon Company to self-regulate before it gets to that stage:
My big call is to the company, to watch what is happening. They should be vigilant before they become liable. If it's an issue they can pull out and fix, they won't be liable. Otherwise, I will introduce legislation.
Do you think all of this fuss over Pokémon GO's impact is justified? Will it die down as the initial buzz around the app diminishes, or could we see more tabloid horror stories as the year rolls by, reinforcing Ortiz's comments?
[source politico.com]
Comments 39
From what I've seen here, I feel it is pretty justified. Heck, the simplest thing I can see done to help make it a safer game is put in a speed restriction. "Over 15 MPH/24KMH? Can't play"
I would hate to see politics get into the game but safety does come first.
@avarisclari That's a great idea. I often find myself tempted to play when driving, which is really dangerous.
There's one simple solution, people could stop being dumb and listen to that big warning on that loading screen about staying alert and paying attention to surroundings; as well as common sense like don't be on your phone while driving and the like that seems to get forgotten with this game.
Hopefully it dies down soon enough because all the posts and stories about it are getting a bit irritating.
I'm not sure it warrants any sort of special legislation or anything... People just need to show common sense and there's no issue. Not much else you can do besides cross your fingers that the people who don't show common sense end up harming themselves rather than others.
@avarisclari It seems logical but that would completely negate people playing in passenger seats, on buses and trains, etc, which would be much higher in number than the idiots playing while driving. The last thing they will want to do is make it so thousands of people are unable to play just because they're travelling, when they aren't even driving. I'd say public transport is one of the most popular places smartphone games are played. A warning about driving on the startup screen like the one about watching where you're going would make more sense. If they do that then Nintendo can't be responsible for anyone who ignores it and anyone who causes an accident is fully to blame, just as they would be for crashing while texting etc. That's all that matters from a business standpoint.
Honestly there is no need to go so specific, GO is just a phone and internet application and doesn't do anything revolutionary.
I mean, it's ages that there are phone applications connected with the internet that allow user to interact between them in some form or that distract players in the everyday life.
Shouldn't there be already some less game-specific laws taking care of all this? If not then yes, there is a problem, but it's not Pokémon honestly ^_^;;;
Where I live it is forbidden to use your phone when you drive, Pokémon go or not.
Technology is so scary for old people.
It doesn't need new legislation. Everything is either common sense or covered by existing legislation.
@enti-social
Same in Australia, unfortunately it doesn't stop people.
@BakaKnight its only as Pokemon Go is so popular the media and sutch just love to hit what is big for the time. Also with this guy i cant hellp but think theres going to be more like him trying to make a name for them selfs being "The ones to take on that hugely popular game!" and be some sort of self declaired hero T_T
@shaneoh Of course it doesn't but the previous comments were about legislating on something that is already regulated (using phone while driving). Asking the Pokémon company to warn their users from not using their phones while driving is the same as asking the Pokémon company to warn their users from not breaking in someone's home to get a pokestop.
Well, at least in my country we already have laws like "Don't use your phone while driving"
Those outside of the U.S. may not know this, but our politics consist of 95% grandstanding. This won't go any farther than being a bullet point on the guy's reelection campaign.
@Stu13 agreed.
What's that? Pokemon Go is making a gazillion dollars?! Quick, find some way for us, the government, to regulate this quick. We need our cut... Sure sounds about right to me.
Absolutely justified. Kids were getting robbed at gunpoint at a PokeStop and the game has barely been out for any time at all.
Little kids shouldn't be walking around alone anyway, that's proper "stranger danger" eticate anyway. You can't blame Nintendo for parents letting their kids go far away in potentially unsafe areas, especially late at night. If kids and everyone just used some common sense, like traveling in groups and not going anywhere late at night or off the beaten trail, there'd be a lot less of these incidents, Pokemon go or not.
...Go Team Mystic!
Can we please let natural selection do it's job?!
"Democrat Felix Ortiz - who has previously taken a dim view of hoverboards, salt, alcohol and sugar"
Life of the party, this guy.
We don't need more pointless legislation. Cops should stop people fiddling with their phones behind the wheel regardless.
@avarisclari What if I'm the passenger in a car?
ok really... if some rapist was going to target someone to lure them to the park, they won't need this app, they'll just go to the park. Same goes with someone who wants to rob someone at the bank. If they were going to do that, they'd go with or without the app. This is just people with paranoia spewing a bunch of BS over the new hottest thing on the mobile market.
@Spoony_Tech But you can't legislate common sense into people who don't have it.
Despite existing laws already handling this, I won't be surprised if some localities and even possibly a few states try to legislate SOMETHING. It seems similar to, like, radio promotions where people were told that the first person to make it to a certain location would win something, or pizza delivery businesses that promised delivery in under a certain time.
Brooklyn? Dude, priorties. You should make it a law that people have to play Pokémon Go.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/brooklyn/multiple-people-hospitalized-k-2-overdoses-article-1.2708254
Everyone's talking about driving, but the story doesn't mention that. I think what he's talking about, instead, is the vulnerability to hacking so that someone of malicious intent couldn't place a Pokéstop or a Dragonite or something of the sort to lure people to his location, rather than a safer, public place.
I agree that there needs to be legislation due to Pokémon Go, but the particular issue described by Mr. Ortiz is very reminiscent of all the 90s era political opportunism crap which mimicked the accusation of Rock and Roll supposedly causing the degeneration of society. In fact, the USA's current Democrat presidential candidate was at the forefront of the video game witch hunt mentality back then, but that's a whole other can of worms.
With all the privacy related legislation related to phone searches and data collection recently, I would think it prudent, after reading through Niantic's Privacy Policy, to introduce legislation concerning corporate responsibility and strict limits on the collection and sale of aggregated personally identifiable information, device identification, and demographic cross checking. It's really more like a Lack of Privacy (Policy). It reminds me way too much of PRISM and Google's integration into the mass surveillance apparatus created for use by the current heads of state in the USA.
Pokémon Go has a lot of potential as a data mining tool for government authorities and data collection businesses. Perhaps more potential than any other app or program. I would dare say Niantic may even have beaten Google at their own game in regards to manufacturing the perfect tool of consent to mass surveillance and data collection. Almost no one even reads the agreement, who's going to bother when all you have to do to join in on the fun is hit that innocuous "I accept" button? It's so easy. Too easy.
People are actually leaving their homes and venturing out into their neighborhoods? THIS. MUST. END.
It's always the video games at fault... Never the alcohol, nor guns, no way the manufacturers of those will ever be at fault. But it's video games, so the user was manipulated, no way they can think for themselves. It's ALWAYS the person, society and parents to blame.
Not anti-gun or alcohol here, just drawing comparisons to show how people cherry pick. And yes, the data collection needs to be questioned.
Shameful part is he is the assistant speaker of my home borough Brooklyn and I don't know a thing about him (or any members) beside from what I read just now. I need to be more aware of my community.
With recent events and popularity, I can see why politicians want to dip their hands in the pudding, but this is something that existed (people paying more attention to their phone then surrounding) before Pokemon Go.
Overall it's relies on the individual to use Pokemon Go and all other apps and games responsibly indoors and outdoors and not the government to tell/make us. It's demeaning to the many other with common sense.
All it takes is some common sense, like paying attention to your surroundings, not playing while driving (it's actually illegal where I am to text while driving for example), and respecting the property of others.
Teaching some how to use their common sense, on the other hand....
I think the difference is that this AR app has become far bigger than any like it before, so it's highlighting issues that might not otherwise have gotten public attention. I'm not sure what form legislation would take exactly. Requiring publishers to collect IMEI from devices using lures so that perpetrators could be more easily apprehended might be one thing, but short of removing that functionality completely I don't know.
Maybe he's just more concerned about user's privacy being respected, hence the "who is sending what?" question. It's not a non-issue, so people shouldn't be dismissing it out of hand.
In short: Unknown politician capitalizing on Pokemon GO's popularity to try and get himself some attention.
@avarisclari There is already a speed limit in place though. So should be fine already. However if you feel they should slow it down thats another thing. xD
@Stu13 Amen to that. Everything a politician does is just a bid for reelection. The Democratic sit-in? A stunt, so they can tell their followers that yes, they are "trying" to address the "problem" of gun violence. New York soda law? Does nothing, but it looks like they're trying to curb obesity, so people rally behind it. Same thing that's happening here with Pokemon GO. Get the government out of our hair!
Well if it gets bad maybe they will do something to cancel it kinda like they have done to apps on 3ds. I doubt they will since Android and iOS are kind of like the wild west of app stores. Heck people have already been robbed playing Pokemon Go. Be sure to play in groups kiddies
@DarkKirby yup all this is anyway. Imagine if one of the presidential candidates were caught playing Pokemon Go. They just might get votes haha
No surprises. The governments love to "take precautions" when a new technology arrives. You see, in the ToS you are clearly advised about these dangers and I believe a serious marketing campaign plus in-game tips should make it even more clear. Creating new laws to limit Pokémon Go functionalities isn't the best way to face such problems. It's simply the easiest, cheapest way the government and authorities find to deal with them.
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