Sex offenders not allowed on 'Pokémon Go,' says New York Governor
Governor Andrew Cuomo issued a directive Monday that bans sex offenders from playing Pokémon Go and other similar games.
The order requires the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to prevent about 3,000 sex offenders from "downloading, accessing, or otherwise engaging in any Internet-enabled gaming activities, including Pokémon Go," as written in a news release.
Cuomo also sent a letter to John Hanke of Niantic Inc., the CEO of the company behind Pokémon Go, that asked for help in banning sex offenders from using the game.
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Niantic will receive a list of identified sex offenders, information that is also shared with tech giants like Facebook, Apple and Microsoft, the letter reads.
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The move comes shortly after New York Senators Jeffrey D. Klein and Diane Savino released a report on the matter.
Published Friday, the state-sponsored investigation found that popular areas for gameplay, such as pokéstops and gyms, were near the houses of registered sex offenders. Of 100 sex offenders' addresses, 73 of them were within a half-block of a Pokémon Go-related activity.
These offenders could also purchase lures, which can be used to attract pokémon and therefore players to one area.
Klein said in a statement following Cuomo's directive:
"Pokémon GO provided sex offenders with a virtual road map to our children. We know that pedophiles always seek new ways to lure victims and this new technology that entertains our kids, could also bring them close to dangerous individuals instead of Pokémon. In fact, my Pokémon GO investigation uncovered a disturbing correlation between high level sex offenders' residences and in-game objectives. While this directive is a good first step, there's still more work to be done legislatively to protect children who use this technology and I will continue to monitor this situation. I applaud Governor Cuomo for taking action on my investigation within 48 hours to protect New York's children."
Niantic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cuomo has previously issued regulations for sex offenders online. In 2008, he introduced the Electronic Security and Targeting of Online Predators Act, which required sex offenders to register email addresses and the names of other online accounts. That list is sent to 40 tech companies.
“Protecting New York’s children is priority number one and, as technology evolves, we must ensure these advances don't become new avenues for dangerous predators to prey on new victims," Cuomo said in a statement.
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Kerry Flynn is a business reporter for Mashable covering the tech industry. She previously reported on social media companies, mobile apps and startups for International Business Times. She has also written for The Huffington Post, Forbes and Money magazine. Kerry studied environmental science and economics at Harvard College, where she led The Harvard Crimson's metro news and design teams and played mellophone in the Band. When not listening to startup pitches, she runs half-marathons, plays with puppies and pretends to like craft beer.
