“Pokémon Go” players are getting really notorious for their indifference towards other people and their over indulgence and zealousness in the cause of the game. We have had several incidents where they have disrupted the course of life of others, and even have put themselves and other people in danger for the sake of “catching ’em all”! In the latest episode of Pokémon Go goes bonkers, the die hard fans descended on an atomic bomb memorial park in Hiroshima as apparently it was made into a Pokémon Go Site.
The city of Hiroshima wants the Pokéstops to be deleted by the company before the anniversary of the 1945 bombing on Aug. 6. They have requested the game developer Niantic Inc. to remove the “Pokéstops” and other virtual attractions within the game that are displayed in and around the park. The city wants them removed before the annual ceremony date for the remembrance of the atomic bomb victims.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is an expansive park made to honor the victims and as a solemn memorial for them. But after the release of the addictive smartphone game, the sight has become Mecca for Pokémon players due to the virtual stops and attractions placed by the company in the vicinity. This, according to the authorities degrades the sanctity of the place and dishonors the victims of the horrific atomic blast.
Elsewhere in the world, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Arlington National Cemetery have made similar requests to the public and the company Niantic. The latest reports on the Holocaust museum are that it has been removed from the map according to its wishes.
The location-aware app uses Google Maps to turn the game into a virtual reality, and gives digital rewards for visiting real places designated as “Pokéstops” and “Gyms”. The company Niantic does offer a form to request exclusions, but it is being debated that whether such public places should be made into Pokéstops without consent in the first place.
Have you ever had problems with Pokémon players and their antics? What solution do you propose to the serious problem of trespassing and violation of sanctity, security and privacy of people and places? Comment below!