Pokémon Go craze sounds alarms about safety and security

Players focused on their Pokémon Go quests have been locked inside closed warehouses and cemeteries, pulled back from an open windowsill and walked into streets oblivious to traffic.

So it had to happen: Lawyers, public officials and employers are sounding alarms about safety and security.

“We know you want to #CatchEmAll, but always do so at a safe distance from electric substations and other electric equipment,” said David Mehlhaff, chief communications officer at the Kansas City Board of Public Utilities in Wyandotte County.

Mehlhaff said entering an electric substation is “both a crime and incredibly dangerous.”

Utilities, building owners and employers can’t control where the “pocket monsters” appear on mobile phones or other devices that have downloaded the Pokémon Go app. The app lets users search their buildings and their neighborhoods for the animated figures that pop up on their real-world screens.

With people young and old swiping Pokéballs to capture figures on the augmented reality game, some employers and landlords are expressing fear of lawsuits, according to Philippe Weiss, managing director of Seyfarth Shaw at Work, a law firm subsidiary.

Injury is a risk.

“Already, one agricultural business learned that an intrepid player had nearly fallen down one of the company’s unused grain elevators while attempting to capture a screeching Golbat,” he said.

Weiss said an actuarial client reported that a building maintenance manager tugged an employee back out of an open window, thinking he was trying to jump. The man had leaned far out to try to capture a Pokémon that appeared to be in the park outside his building.

The craze also has exacerbated police and insurer concerns about distracted driving.

“Rather than keeping your eyes glued to the screen looking for digital monsters, it’s best to keep your eyes on the road and watch out for real dangers,” advised Allstate spokesperson Halie Peddle.

Radio DJs and others are appealing to parents to closely monitor their children’s use of the game. Countless reports around the country say users are running into streets and bumping into things because they are transfixed on their phone screens.

In the workplace, some employers are scrambling to impose Pokémon rules, especially to deter loss of productivity or misuse of company-owned equipment. Some report an uptick in the length of meal or break times by avid players as well as loss of good customer service.

One company cited by Weiss said it fielded a customer complaint when a salesperson said, “Sorry about the delay in getting back to you. I was catching a Caterpie. You know — Pokémon Go comes first.”

The game includes Poké Stops and Pokémon Gyms that draws more players to certain locations. Some businesses have even bought in-game “lures” to attract Pokémon players/customers to their locations for a half hour at a time.

Officials also warn about potential cybersecurity risks and potential privacy violations if players use company-issued devices, said Stacey Singleton, regional vice president for Robert Half Technology in Kansas City.

“Anytime there is a mix of data collection and a corporate network, there are the possibilities of threats,” Singleton said, “which is why it’s important that security teams are intact and aware of trends and that security policies are clearly laid out throughout the organization.”

Physically, security experts advise making sure that building doors or property gates are locked to prevent game players from entering places they shouldn’t.

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 7:26 PM with the headline "Pokémon Go craze sounds alarms about safety and security."