Pokémon Go and the Dangers That Come With It

It looks like Pokémon is back at it again. Pokémon Go, the latest product in the Pokémon franchise, has caught on like wildfire. This new app, developed by Niantic, brings a fresh perspective to gaming. Available on both iOS and Android devices, this mobile game allows players to catch Pokémon but must do so in real time. With GPS capability, the app pinpoints where Pokémon can be found and the player then must make the effort to actually go to these locations.

Once there, the player can then attempt to catch the Pokémon. These Pokémon can be found in various locations, from your backyard to public venues and even in government facilities such as courthouses. As this game takes the world by storm, the dangers of this form of gaming have become more apparent. Just as texting and driving has been such a big problem, the same issue could arise with this new app.

Potential Hazards

The Pokemon app demands that the player explore the outdoors if they want to catch Pokemon. Irrespective of this game, mobile devices can be dangerous. Texting and driving has been one of the leading causes of death in the past few years. Pedestrians too have put themselves in risk of danger by crossing the street carelessly while being preoccupied with their smart devices.

Surely, this Pokémon app could pose similar dangers. The game has been out for less than two weeks and there are already news reports of such accidents. One victim reported that he was “wandering aimlessly looking for Pokémon” when a car clipped him. As the game picks up speed, similar reports will undoubtedly come in. Now the question becomes, what can be done about this?

To address this issue, let’s look back at some of the solutions that were reached when it came to driving and texting. For one, California imposed a law that would fine people who were driving and texting. Without a doubt, this has had deterrent effects. Looking at the accident reports as a whole, the numbers have waned due to this law. Can a law be enacted mandating that gamers not cross the street while playing Go?

Now this sounds silly but there have to be some measures that can be taken. Obviously the same aforementioned law applies here because the Go is a mobile game and as such, is on a mobile device. Ultimately, the question becomes what measures can be taken to prevent such incidents from happening and who should be held responsible for them?

Comparative Negligence

The gamer should obviously be held responsible for being careless and negligent. Of course, the degree of blame should also depend on who the gamer is and in particular, how old they may be.

If a 12-year-old has carelessly walked into the street, then they might not have known any better. Now, if it was a fully grown adult doing the same, then this could change things. Comparative negligence, which is the standard of fault in California, adjusts the degree of fault for all the parties involved, depending on the circumstances of the case. This standard applies primarily to personal injury lawsuits. For example, if the gamer is crossing the street when he should have stopped, then the driver who hits this person will not be entirely at fault for the accident.

The point being, if more states adopted this comparative negligence approach, it would make life a whole lot easier for both parties involved in the accident. It also provides a deterrent. The gamer so preoccupied with catching his Pokémon will stop and think because now he knows under this framework, he would potentially have to pay for his own injuries if he isn’t careful. At the same time, the driver will have a defense, which is that the Pokémon devotee was being rather careless.

Trespass

Now this comparative negligence approach is not universal in that it does not apply to all incidents. It applies mainly to personal injury lawsuits. For example, what would happen if the player finds himself in someone else’s private property and the property owner decides to take matters into his own hands? How should this be resolved? Obviously not through the comparative negligence standard.

Each state has its own particular set of laws with regards to gun control and what trespass dictates. These sets of laws will help guide the well-being of people. For now, we will just have to wait and see what our legislators will do in response to this new groundbreaking form of entertainment. This only feels like the beginning. With virtual reality and this “augmented” reality taking shape, who knows which direction we’ll be headed from both a lifestyle perspective as well as a legal one. For now, enjoy and make sure you catch as many lovable Pokémon as you can. Safety first though.

Other Legal Considerations

As mentioned, Pokémon Go is sending ripples through the legal space. Besides personal injury, other areas of the legal field that are facing questions due to the Go are in privacy and intellectual property. In terms of privacy, it is a question of how to protect individual privacy. Go collects account information, location data, and other such data collected through web beacons and cookies.

There are also certain privacy issues at play here. How far can Niantic go in acquiring such data and what can they use this data for other than the game itself? There are intellectual property issues as well. Does catching a Pokémon make that Pokémon your personal intellectual property? This is a bit absurd but it is questions like this that have been coming up. In the meantime, we are left to ponder how this new gadget is changing the legal landscape.