New York Governor Asks Niantic to Help Block Sex Offenders From Playing Pokemon Go

[Lizzy Finnegan]

New York Governor Asks Niantic to Help Block Sex Offenders From Playing Pokemon Go

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New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is taking steps to stop sex offenders from playing Pokemon Go, and he's asking Niantic to help.

In an open letter to Niantic's John Hanke [https://www.governor.ny.gov/sites/governor.ny.gov/files/atoms/files/PokemonLetter.pdf], New York Governor Andrew Cuomo requested Niantic's assistance with blocking known sex offenders from playing Pokemon Go.

In the letter, Cuomo references lures, which can be placed at any PokeStop in order to draw Pokemon to the location and, unlike incense, is an item that can benefit anyone playing the game, not just the person who uses it. Cuomo expresses concerns that lures "have the potential to be abused by predators."

"That is why I have directed the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services to reach out to Niantic, Inc. to provide the most up-to-date information of offenders within the Sex Offender Registry," Cuomo writes in the letter. "With this information, we hope you will be able to prevent identified sex offenders from using this game. DCJS will also contact Apple and Google to inform them of these public safety concerns and will work with them to enhance user safety. Software developers that operate augmented reality games like Pokemon GO should be entitled to the same information that is regularly shared with companies like Facebook, Apple and Microsoft."

Cuomo helped pass the Electronic Security & Targeting of Online Predators (E-STOP) Act in 2008, which requires that convicted sex offenders share the details of their online accounts with law enforcement. Today, it was announced [https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-directs-department-corrections-and-community-supervision-restrict-sex-offenders] that sex offenders on parole in New York are prohibited from downloading or accessing Pokemon Go and similar Internet-enabled games.

"Protecting our children and ensuring their safety is our top priority, and the State of New York is moving swiftly to respond to troubling news that young children using Pokemon GO are being steered to locations in close proximity to, or even at, sex offender residences," Cuomo writes. "The State has taken action to prohibit sex offenders from using this game, but we need your assistance to make certain that sex offenders will not continue to use Pokemon GO by technologically barring their use. Working together, we can ensure that this danger today does not escalate into a tragedy tomorrow."

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[Baresark]

I get it, it's for the children. I get that it can be used by predators to lure kids (that is true whether they have been caught and convicted of a sex crime or not). I would like to point out that: not all people who are convicted sex offenders are pedophiles. I feel this particular request is actually unfair. I'm not defending whatever they may have done that put them on that list, don't get me wrong. I also question how they would implement this. Anyone can create a dummy email address and allows them to log into Google Play (or to create a dummy appleID). I don't know if there is a way for them to actually prevent sex offenders from playing the game.

I would also like to point out the importance of supervision. You shouldn't be letting your kids go places without a large group or at least an adult present. You should be teaching your kids to not approach strangers and teach them safety measures if they feel they are in danger. I feel like the biggest danger of this is giving kids and parents the impression they are somehow insulated from someone who may be predatory towards them or their parents. They are not.

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

 

[B5Alpha]

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

Andrew Cuomo is not very popular in New York. The man hates teachers and guns and recent laws reflect that. But New York is a Blue State, so he won reelection easily 2 years ago. New York City doesn't help the political climate at all, on top of that.

 

[Souplex]

Edit: Upon further reflection, this doesn't really accomplish anything. Even if they can't place the lure they can still go places where lures are, and I'm sure they could borrow their friend's phones for seemingly innocuous purposes.

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

Andrew Cuomo is not very popular in New York. The man hates teachers and guns and recent laws reflect that. But New York is a Blue State, so he won reelection easily 2 years ago. New York City doesn't help the political climate at all, on top of that.

New York as a whole hates guns, so his dislike of them doesn't really affect anyone. The teacher thing does.
The main reason we hate him is that he keeps obstructing Mayor DeBlasio, even though we elected Cuomo to be a rubber stamp on our mayor.

 

[Leg End]

It was only a matter of time. I'm just surprised New York beat California to the punch.

Protecting our children and ensuring their safety is our top priority

The eternal last words before freedom dies.

I get it, it's for the children. I get that it can be used by predators to lure kids (that is true whether they have been caught and convicted of a sex crime or not). I would like to point out that: not all people who are convicted sex offenders are pedophiles. I feel this particular request is actually unfair.

The problem is that they do not care. Fear gets you votes if you point towards an enemy and say you'll be the guardian of the masses.

I'm not defending whatever they may have done that put them on that list, don't get me wrong.

Depending on the area, it can be as simple as changing in your car or taking a leak in an alley. One case I remember being a guy who grabbed a girl who did something to his car got convicted of unlawful imprisonment, which was an automatic sex crime. That and all the people who get on it for situations that involve their partner being five minutes from legal or when the partner lied.

Sometimes you do need to defend the people you think at first are unable to be defended.

I would also like to point out the importance of supervision. You shouldn't be letting your kids go places without a large group or at least an adult present. You should be teaching your kids to not approach strangers and teach them safety measures if they feel they are in danger. I feel like the biggest danger of this is giving kids and parents the impression they are somehow insulated from someone who may be predatory towards them or their parents. They are not.

People don't want to parent their kids these days and that's the major problem here. This action buys him support from those people.

and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want them to have access to.

Falling on willfully stabbed-eardrum deaf ears.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

Doesn't being a sex offender mean the person got caught and punished by law? So now he wants to punish them again after the original punishment is over?
How is this supposed to make sense?

 

[J.McMillen]

Doesn't being a sex offender mean the person got caught and punished by law? So now he wants to punish them again after the original punishment is over?
How is this supposed to make sense?

From what I understand is that sex offenders, especially child sex offenders, have restrictions on the kinds of places they can visit. In the case of child sex offenders they are usually barred from visiting places where children are likely to be found (schools, playgrounds, etc...). So dropping a lure that is bound to bring children playing the game to a predetermined spot is probably not something any of us want to see happen.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Typical New York. If it exists, it must be regulated or banned, that's pretty much the state's motto.

It's not a bad place to live, but man is it fucking suffocating with all it's rules.

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

Andrew Cuomo is not very popular in New York. The man hates teachers and guns and recent laws reflect that. But New York is a Blue State, so he won reelection easily 2 years ago. New York City doesn't help the political climate at all, on top of that.

and weed too. We could of been like california but nooooo he has to make it so that it can only be in pill form and only if you're like terminally ill.

Fucking Cuomo. How I hate him.

His brother on CNN is pretty cool tho.

 

[chadachada123]

Doesn't being a sex offender mean the person got caught and punished by law? So now he wants to punish them again after the original punishment is over?
How is this supposed to make sense?

From what I understand is that sex offenders, especially child sex offenders, have restrictions on the kinds of places they can visit. In the case of child sex offenders they are usually barred from visiting places where children are likely to be found (schools, playgrounds, etc...). So dropping a lure that is bound to bring children playing the game to a predetermined spot is probably not something any of us want to see happen.

Perhaps for most "child sex offenders," sure, but there are plenty of people on those lists for, say, being 18 and sleeping with your 17 year old ("child") girlfriend. There are a number of perfectly normal young adults lumped in with kiddie-diddlers, hence why we should be careful of blanket restrictions, or at least the wording used.

 

[Sheo_Dagana]

I get the idea behind this, I'm just sure that it's something that would be hard to enforce. However, if this Governor is able to get a hold of Niantic at all, that'll be a fucking miracle in and of itself.

 

[Parasondox]

Doesn't being a sex offender mean the person got caught and punished by law? So now he wants to punish them again after the original punishment is over?
How is this supposed to make sense?

From what I understand is that sex offenders, especially child sex offenders, have restrictions on the kinds of places they can visit. In the case of child sex offenders they are usually barred from visiting places where children are likely to be found (schools, playgrounds, etc...). So dropping a lure that is bound to bring children playing the game to a predetermined spot is probably not something any of us want to see happen.

Perhaps for most "child sex offenders," sure, but there are plenty of people on those lists for, say, being 18 and sleeping with your 17 year old ("child") girlfriend. There are a number of perfectly normal young adults lumped in with kiddie-diddlers, hence why we should be careful of blanket restrictions, or at least the wording used.

Could be worse like the UK where kids as young as 5 could be, and I think are, put on the sex offenders register for showing their... Willy to a girl. Some may say, "well he should be punished", but that stays with him for life. Fair or unfair.

 

[CaitSeith]

Well, it's practically impossible to keep someone in NY out of Pokemon Go. They just have to use a different email account (the oldest trick on the Internet).

 

[B5Alpha]

Edit: Upon further reflection, this doesn't really accomplish anything. Even if they can't place the lure they can still go places where lures are, and I'm sure they could borrow their friend's phones for seemingly innocuous purposes.

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

Andrew Cuomo is not very popular in New York. The man hates teachers and guns and recent laws reflect that. But New York is a Blue State, so he won reelection easily 2 years ago. New York City doesn't help the political climate at all, on top of that.

New York as a whole hates guns, so his dislike of them doesn't really affect anyone. The teacher thing does.
The main reason we hate him is that he keeps obstructing Mayor DeBlasio, even though we elected Cuomo to be a rubber stamp on our mayor.

He was basically elected because his father was governor. And New York City may hate guns, but I saw Repeal the SAFE Act signs all over upstate during his 2014 reelection run.

 

[Souplex]

Edit: Upon further reflection, this doesn't really accomplish anything. Even if they can't place the lure they can still go places where lures are, and I'm sure they could borrow their friend's phones for seemingly innocuous purposes.

All I can really say in the end is: God, government bodies are so behind when it comes to technology. It's not a reasonable request and it just won't work, no matter what they do. Some sex offenders will have provided them with all their internet account info, but any that don't want to won't have done that, and there is no way for them to know if a person has access to something on the internet the government doesn't want the to have access to.

Andrew Cuomo is not very popular in New York. The man hates teachers and guns and recent laws reflect that. But New York is a Blue State, so he won reelection easily 2 years ago. New York City doesn't help the political climate at all, on top of that.

New York as a whole hates guns, so his dislike of them doesn't really affect anyone. The teacher thing does.
The main reason we hate him is that he keeps obstructing Mayor DeBlasio, even though we elected Cuomo to be a rubber stamp on our mayor.

He was basically elected because his father was governor. And New York City may hate guns, but I saw Repeal the SAFE Act signs all over upstate during his 2014 reelection run.

Yeah, except nobody lives upstate.
It's the boroughs and Long Island.
The rest is uninhabited wildlands that serve as a natural defensive border between us and the enemy to the north.
http://andyarthur.org/data/map_007858_large.png
Petitions going around means like 25%-60% feels a particular way. Like a third of the state lives in the northern wildlands.
New York doesn't like guns.