Pokémon Go is one of the hottest games out there in the mobile market. With 52% of men and women of the ages of 12-34 are playing this game every day and over 23 million daily active users this is the app that everyone is playing, so why is there a concern for this game and for gaming families?
Well for starters that the game itself has to be played on the smart phone or device, also it involves walking around to catch the Pokémon, sometimes a long distance from home. Also the game involves people to interact with each other to battle their caught Pokémon in local area which become hotspots or “gyms”. So this can be a concern for some younger gamers and as well as the game itself is a “scavenger hunt” of sorts to catch these digital creatures. So here are some tips to keep yourself and others in your gaming family safe.
- Always be aware of your surroundings. As the game draws on Google Maps, sometimes the game itself may not know if an area around you is safe to go into. So even though the game is telling you that a Pokémon is 8 blocks away but that neighborhood is not a safe one, it is better not to go alone, which brings me to point number 2.
- Never travel alone. Parents this is especially for younger gamers. If you children that want to go “hunting” then the best thing that you can do is either go with them or have your children go with other children that they know (and you know their parents) and go in groups of three or larger. There have been multiple reporting of possible kidnappings of children that were either not paying attention or just was out and playing the game alone. So if you have a gamer that wants to go out have them in a group, or accompanying them. Also if your smart phone also allows it, set up a Geo Fence in which a alert will be sent to you if the person steps outside the geo fence.
Never talk to strangers while out. The game does encourage people to join up and start playing but again with this warning to parents, be sure to know where your child is going and who they are meeting up with. Lots of times most are friendly and they too are looking to group up but again with strangers you do not know what they are planning and it is very easy to get tricked into someone saying a rare Pokémon is around the corner and convince someone to go with them. So use this trendy rhyme “When in doubt, bug out” A social video experiment is below.- Do not drive, ride or operate anything while playing this game. This goes without saying. I personally have seen children with one hand on their phone and the other on their bike racing through the streets just to get to another location to catch a Pokémon. Or children on their skateboards skating sometimes almost into people on the sidewalk. Since the release of the game there has been some accidents, where the worst (so far) has been a person hitting a parked police car (video link below).
- Respect others privacy and property. Sometimes the in game map may show a Pokémon nearby but it may be on someone’s private property. Also ask permission before entering anyone property before doing anything. Just because there is a Pokémon there does not mean that you have to break the law to get it.
- Monitor your children and other gamers purchase. The game does have micro transactions where you can purchase additional game items to help you catch more Pokémon. Sometimes with a game like this, people (adults and children) alike can get carried away and want to get more items that will help them. If you are not sure on how to monitor and/or change the settings so these purchases are not made without your authorization you can read our blog here or listen to our podcast here for more information.
Now with all that being said we do want to throw out some ideas for parents that are wanting to help their child have a more positive gaming experience.
- Download the game and play it with your younger gamers. The game is a great source of exercise and the bonding that can be formed between parent and child gaming can lead to be a very positive one.
- Arrange with other parents to chaperone a Pokémon catching session. This will help children stay in a larger group with a parent or two with the group to make sure all are safe.
- Work with local parents to create a safe hub for all children to play. With the power of social media you can connect with other parents nearby you to coordinate a Pokémon gym where all can either gather as a team or for children to gather to play in a safe location. (Rumor is that McDonalds may be doing a promo similar to this suggestion, however it does not hurt to also have one after the promotion)
- Speak with your local schools, groups and businesses to have a tighter group so parents, children and other “trainers” can go to catch Pokémon. This will help build a better bond with the local community and make it a safer place.
- Always report suspicious activity to your local authorities, some people may try to harm you, or others so please be aware and report anything that may be out of place.
As with games like this that there will be changes. We here at Family Gamer Review will revise this safety article as needed. Always be safe, play safe and stay safe.
Questions or concern please feel free to contact us!
Car crash when the driver was playing Pokémon Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-0–aJGLg0&ab_channel=BaltimorePolice
Social Experiment on how easy it was to lure children away to be kidnapped
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5mcRv8hqu8&ab_channel=JoeySalads
