Chippewa Noah's Ark: POKEMON GO

Posted from Macaroni Kid,

It's all the rage and everyone is talking about the excitement they have for their kids getting up and staying active! I have been looking into this and wanted to talk about some of the safety factors we all should be aware of.

I downloaded the Pokémon GO™ App onto my phone, since my son does not have one. It was easy to set up and to get started.

The object seems to be to keep moving and locate characters to catch along the way. The characters are all friendly and age appropriate for kids.

While it is true that you must stay active to keep this game going, also know this:

The game has a "Lure Module" that is meant to lure children to find more characters, but it has also aided in some players being robbed and hurt by those who are using the feature to locate people playing the game.
It uses a lot of data, so be aware of your usage vs your plan so you don't get a big surprise at the end of the month.
The game collects your info upon registering, including date of birth, address, etc. If you do not want them to use your information, they require you to notify them to stop collection of material.
Be aware of when your kids are playing. Riding a bike while playing or playing in an area with high traffic is not advised. Kids have to remember to look up! There have been some instances of injuries and broken phones. Be sure to only cross at crosswalks.
The game will supposedly not operate in a car if you exceed a certain speed. I could not get confirmation of this (since I won't do it), but it makes sense. The game is meant to keep you active on foot, not by car. There is a feature that you can set that will buzz you when a character is close by so you can pull over to access the game and catch it.
Remind your kids to be considerate of where they are playing. Trespassing is against the law and some characters may be in areas that will be frowned upon to access. Examples that I have seen in the news from around the country are museums and cemeteries. Players should not attempt to gain entrance to buildings and other locations during the hours they are closed.

None of these things are reasons your kids should not play, but it is good to be informed of the importance of being cautious and mindful while playing.

Kids should: