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New York Governor Bars Sex Offenders From Playing Pokemon Go (theverge.com)

Adi Robertson, reporting for The Verge: At the direction of Governor Andrew Cuomo, New York's correctional department has made playing online games a violation of parole for sex offenders -- particularly Pokemon Go. In a statement, Cuomo said that people on the sex offender registry are now banned from "downloading, accessing, or otherwise engaging in any internet enabled gaming activities, including Pokemon Go." He also published a letter that he sent to game developer Niantic, asking for its cooperation in preventing registrants from signing up. The decision is based on a report from two New York state senators, released last week. Jeffrey Klein and Diane Savino visited the locations of 100 registered sex offenders in New York City and found 57 pokemon and 59 pokestops and gyms within half a city block. They were particularly worried about the "lures" that draw pokemon -- and thus players, including children -- to a location. While criminals have used pokestops and lures to attract and rob players, there are no known cases of sexual predators using them so far. Nonetheless, Klein and Savino have crafted bills that would ban sex offenders from playing the game and require Niantic to remove any Pokemon Go-related items or locations from near their homes.

5 of 246 comments (clear)

  1. Just Ban Sex Offenders by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    With all the other restrictions we place on them... public registries, public notifications of where they live, living area restrictions, job restrictions, firearm restrictions, voting restrictions, social media restrictions, etc. All after they served their "time" for their crimes. We throw in a restriction from playing video games that work online?

    Just ban sex offenders. Ship them all internment camps in Alaska... It's not like they're human anymore anyway. /Sarcasm

    Realistically, we need to do away with these public list and what have you. If they already served their time why are they continually publicly shamed? And don't get me wrong, I have no sympathy for rapist and molesters. We should increase the penalty for these crimes, right up to chemical castration... Keep them in prison longer (also reduce the amount we spend on prisoners...) But once they get out, they're supposed to be "Reformed." So treat them like human. Otherwise keep them locked up.

  2. Re:No more pokemon Go in the US by Fire_Wraith · · Score: 5, Informative

    Never-mind that in many cases, the "sex offender" label is handed out for a wide array of crimes. Most people hear it, and they think of pedophiles and rapists, but it can cover far more than that. For instance, a drunk peeing in an alleyway can be prosecuted for indecent exposure, which is an offense requiring sex offender registration in many (if not most) states. In other states, two teenagers having otherwise consensual sex that their parents disapprove of can lead to statutory rape charges, which come with mandatory sex offender registration.

  3. Re:wait what by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Educate yourself:

    At least 13 states require registration for public urination; of those, two limit registration to those who committed the act in view of a minor.
    Arizona, Ariz. Rev. Stat. 13-3821 (if the individual has more than one previous conviction for public urination-two if exposed to a person under 15; three if exposed to a person over 15); California, Cal. Penal Code 314(1)-(2), 290; Connecticut, Conn. Gen. Stat. 53a-186, 54-250, 54-251 (if the victim was under 18); Georgia, O.C.G.A. 42-1-12, 16-6-8 (if done in view of a minor); Idaho, Idaho Code Ann. 18-4116, 8306, 8304; Kentucky, Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. 510.148, 17.520, 500, 510.150; Massachusetts, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 272 16, ALM GL ch. 6 178G, 178C; Michigan, Mich. Comp. Laws 167(1)(f), 28.722, 723; New Hampshire, N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. 651-B:1, RSA 651-B:2, 645:1(II), (III); Oklahoma, 57 Okl.St. 582.21, 1021; South Carolina, S.C. Code Ann. 23-3-430; Utah, Utah Code Ann. 77-27-21.5, 76-9-702.5; Vermont, Vt. Stat. Ann. Tit. 13, 2601, 5407, 5401.

    https://www.hrw.org/report/2007/09/11/no-easy-answers/sex-offender-laws-us

  4. Better stop them from reading comics too by gurps_npc · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And playing Dungeons and dragons.

    They already are banned from going to church.

    Is there any other way we can prevent them from living a normal life, and push them to re-offend?

    Oh, oh, how about we ban them from drinking alcohol!

    --
    excitingthingstodo.blogspot.com
  5. Re:Probably Can't Do That by strstr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And no I don't think kids and Pokemon Go go hand in hand .. Adults play Pokemon go more than kids
      I have yet to see kids play it but all my friends who play are adults. Everyone I see walking their dog and playing and dudes on the bus playing have been adults.

    I don't see the connection of Pokemon Go and kids and sex offenders.

    I see the governor using it as an excuse to target and discriminate against a class of people, in this case the so called sexual offenders. They similarly target many people the same way.. Its a gross abuse of power that needs to be stopped.

    The governor believes society will back him up because everyone else thinks its acceptable to crap on sexual offenders or certain other classes at opportune times.