Cuomo seeks to stop sex offenders from playing Pokemon Go

NEW YORK
Times Union

By Matthew Hamilton on August 1, 2016

Gotta catch ’em all — unless you’re a sex offender.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday directed the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to restrict sex offenders on parole from playing the popular Pokemon Go and similar games. Cuomo also sent a letter to game developer Niantic requesting the company’s help in barring sex offenders from playing the game.

DOCCS has imposed a new condition of sex offenders’ parole that prohibits them from downloading and engaging in any internet enabled gaming activities. The new regulation applies to nearly 3,000 Level 1, 2 and 3 sex offenders currently on parole, Cuomo’s office said.

Cuomo also directed the state Division of Criminal Justice Services to provide Niantic with the most up-to-date sex offender registry information and to contact Apple and Google to notify them of public safety concerns and to work with them to enhance user safety.

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