Pokémon controversy: Difference between revisions

The sudden enormous popularity of Pokémon GO resulted in a lot of controversies worldwide. Numerous organisations and companies complained about the spawning of Pokémon at places such as Holocaust and 9/11 memorials<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/07/12/holocaust-museum-auschwitz-want-pokmon-go-hunts-stop-pokmon/86991810/</ref><ref>http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-12-holocaust-museum-pleads-stop-playing-pokemon-go-here</ref>, train rails<ref>http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/pokemon-go-dutch-rail-operator-tells-nintendo-change-game-after-players-wonder-onto-tracks-1570308</ref> and while driving a car.<ref>http://fortune.com/2016/09/18/pokemon-go-players-driving/</ref> Several people worldwide have been killed or seriously injured in accidents related to playing the game.<ref>http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-pokemon-go-encinitas-cliff-fall-2016jul13-story.html</ref><ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3699722/Pokemon-sees-death-Teenager-18-killed-cousin-injured-playing-game-Guatamala.html</ref><ref>https://www.theverge.com/2016/8/25/12637878/pokemon-go-driver-kills-woman-japan</ref><ref>http://autopro.com.vn/campuchia-mai-bat-pokemon-tren-pho-co-gai-tre-bi-o-to-dam-chet-tham-thuong-20160812092519593.chn</ref>

In Russia a 21-year-old video blogger received a suspended sentence for three and a half years in prison for charges of blasphemy after playing the game in a church.<ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/05/11/russian-blogger-ruslan-sokolovsky-convicted-playing-pokemon-go-church/101541958/</ref> Like the Pokemon mania in the late 1990s and early 2000s Pokémon GO caused strong strong reactions in the Islamic world, declaring fatwas against the game as it could lead to "haram" activities such as "gambling".<ref>http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/06/asia-pacific/malaysian-islamic-leaders-say-no-pokemon-go/#.WU6jV46GM2w</ref><ref>http://www.gadgetsnow.com/tech-news/Fatwa-against-Pokemon-Go-in-India/articleshow/53563918.cms</ref><ref>https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/07/20/top-saudi-clerics-ban-pokemon-go/87330916/</ref> The game was banned in Iran over security concerns.<ref>http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-36989526</ref> In New York registered sex offenders on parole were banned from playing Pokémon GO.<ref>http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/08/02/488435018/new-york-bans-registered-sex-offenders-from-pok-mon-go</ref> In a Belgium town with 35 inhabitants playing the game became forbidden at night because the small town was constantly flooded with players. <ref>http://www.hln.be/hln/nl/4126/Games/article/detail/2888132/2016/09/26/De-Wever-verbiedt-nachtelijke-Pokemon-Go-in-Lillo.dhtml</ref>