God, I love The Oatmeal.
As if we don’t have enough people walking around with their faces buried in their phones, oblivious to everything around them, now we’ve got people tossing all common sense out the window and being insensitive dicks about it as they try to “catch” imaginary creatures in an app that collects mountains of data on who and where you are at all times. Yay, technology! I know that “sheeple” is a tired, eyeroll-worthy term favored by conspiracy theorists and other nutjobs, but sometimes it’s actually appropriate. Case in point:
Holocaust Museum would like for ‘Pokémon Go’ trainers to back off
The Museum has found itself transformed into a series of three Poké Stops for each part of the facility, like several other inappropriate locales across the world, with visitors flocking to them, phones held high. Poké Stops are like caches of items for players who happen upon them, spawning items like Poké Balls, Potions and more.
…The museum is looking into seeing if it can be removed as a home for Poké Stops going forward, as it seems “disrespectful” for visitors to be engaged in these displays in areas of the museum meant for reflection and solemnity, such as the museum’s Hall of Remembrance.
Oh, and then there’s this. Lucky guy, but not too smart.
This Is What Can Happen When You Play Pokémon Go While Driving
His mother wrote on Facebook cited by The Smoking Gun that although her son won’t answer a phone call or text behind the wheel, when he saw a “‘special’ Pokémon on his app… He looked down for a minute and woke up in an ambulance.” She adds that he’s thankful no one was in the now crumpled passenger seat.
But wait! It looks like the developers have already come up with a way to ruin the game. Soon you’ll be pummeled with ads for special creatures available only at certain shitty mall stores and fast food chains. Corporate cash grab GO!
‘Pokémon Go’ sponsored locations will let brands in on the fun
While you’re trying to catch ’em all with Pokémon Go, the developers are figuring out how to make (more) money from the white hot augmented reality (AR) game. Along with the existing in-app purchases from “PokéCoins,” developer Niantic says it will use sponsored locations as another way to cash in, according to the Financial Times. “There is a second component to our business model at Niantic, which is this concept of sponsored locations,” Chief Executive John Hanke told the FT.
I honestly haven’t played this game, which is surprising because it’s such a cool use of technology that appeals to my geek streak, and normally I’d jump at the chance. But I began reading about it on the gadget blogs and elsewhere, and after seeing the ridiculous frenzy it’s caused and what kind of personal info it collects, I really want no part of it. (Jesus, I really must be getting old!) I’m content to watch until it peaks and people lose interest, by which time there will be a new and exciting fad to start the frenzy all over again. It’s a Circle of Life thing.
