Is Pokémon Go dangerous?

Is Pokémon Go dangerous?

Please don’t play Pokémon Go while driving.

Pokémon Go is a lot like texting. Its augmented reality setting that uses your smartphone camera is distracting; even though you’re theoretically paying close attention to your surroundings, you’re doing so through a camera lens with the aim of spotting and catching Pokémon all around you. Crossing the street into traffic or walking into the ocean are both distinct possibilities with this game. Getting lost is a risk too.

Outdoorsy nuisances like bug bites, sunburn, dehydration, and blisters might be part of your experience, depending on where you live and how intensely you play. And in my case, there’s a PokéStop (an in-game landmark that Pokémon can be lured into visiting) that happens to be near a children’s playground. Consider the optics of a grown man with his iPhone pointed at a children’s park for several minutes at a time.

There are also reports of Pokémon Go users getting robbed. One player went out in search of Pokémon and found a dead body instead. Chances are you won’t stumble across any corpses, but you should remain aware of your surroundings nonetheless.

Meanwhile, in terms of internet safety, Niantic — the game developer that runs Pokémon Go — has faced criticism for giving itself too much access to information on your phone that you probably want to keep private.