popular electronic telephone game causes construction consternation
Keen digital observers will know that, for now, Pokémon Go is wildly popular. We understand that it encourages people to experience the great outdoors whilst glued to a screen and throwing virtual tennis balls at virtual monsters to capture them and train them into a captive army poised to fight to the death for the glory of their owners. IMProperty prefers playing "Snake".
"Building" magazine notes that contractors are increasingly having to warn people away from their sites as the game developers (Niantic) have spawned Pokémon on live building sites. There is a webpage where owners and contractors can warn Niantic about issues like this.
Legally, and without jumping on bandwagons (which presumably don't get generated until level 20 of Pokémon Go?), we should note that occupiers of land do have a duty to take all reasonable steps to make sure that visitors and trespassers don't come to harm because of dangerous features of their land. Owners of land may want to double check that someone has not decided to generate a virtual pigeon ( or "Pidgey") on or near lakes, pits, cliffs, or other dangerous features. They can contact Niantic, and should consider checking their signs and fences.
Now Mace has got in on the act, posting quirky signs on their site hoardings with warnings including “Wild Pokémon not permitted on this site” and “No playing Pokémon Go beyond this point”.Contractors’ trade body Build UK has also voiced its concerns, with a warning sent to members to keep site boundaries secure from pesky Pokémon players.Niantic, the game’s developer, frequently alerts players not to trespass. A typical warning reads: “Do not enter dangerous areas while playing Pokémon Go”.”
