The developers of Pokémon Go are being sued over allegations that Pokétrainers are causing damage to a protected beach in the Netherlands.
In their hunt for the fictional animals Pokémon Go players are damaging the real environment around them, it would seem. As a result, Niantic – the team behind Pokémon Go – are being challenged over not doing enough to protect environmental areas.
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The developer has been accused of making no effort to respond to the demands that the beaches of Kijkduin – an area just south of the Hague – be pulled from the game. The prosecutors of the case are concerned that the huge numbers of Pokétrainers drawn to the area by its lucrative critters are damaging the iconic sand dunes. The case will be heard in a court near the Hague on the 11th October.
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This wouldn’t be the first geographical area or landmark to be pulled from the game. Niantic have also responded to players capturing Pokemon inside Auschwitz-Birkenau, as well as those entering the danger zone at Fukushima in Japan.
Niantic did announce earlier this year that it was collecting feedback on areas that needed removing from the game.
The augmented reality game recently announced a partnership with Apple and the app will now be available on the Apple Watch Series 2. Hopefully, it won’t encourage users to stray where they shouldn’t in pursuit of Pokemon.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.