New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released a statement on Monday, directing the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to prohibit sex offenders from using Pokémon Go. The new augmented reality Pokémon game has become immensely popular, causing concern among some New York lawmakers that there is potential for children who play the game to come into close proximity with potentially dangerous offenders.
In a statement from the Governor's office, Cuomo said,
Cuomo also sent a letter to Niacom's CEO, John Hanke, asking the maker of Pokémon Go to take steps that would prevent sex offenders from using Pokémon Go. Cuomo wrote in his letter,
The move to ban sex offenders from playing Pokémon Go is in response to an informal study conducted by New York Senators Jeffrey Klein and Diane Savino. The New York Times reported that the study found that of 100 homes where sexual offenders live in New York, 59 of them were within half a block of locations where Pokémon Go players could use features of the game.