Lawmaker Proposes Law To Help Remove Pokémon Go Stops
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Most attractions are thrilled to be included as a stop in the new Pokémon Go craze; but certain parks, wildlife refuges, museums and area railroads are not.
Proposed legislation introduced in Springfield Wednesday would require those who manage Pokémon Go and similar games to remove stops within two days of a request, and to make it easy to do so.
Currently, the managers of Pokémon Go require those seeking to drop a PokéStop to provide exact latitude and longitude coordinates, not a street address. That would change under the legislation introduced by State Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago).
At the Loyola Dunes Restoration Site at Pratt Beach in the Rogers Park neighborhood, a PokéStop has been placed on a state- and federally-protected site, enticing players to leave the designated path and inadvertently trample sensitive habitat and bird nesting grounds. Despite many receiving many requests for the site to be removed, including one from the Chicago Park District, the game's developer has yet to move the Pokéstop.
In addition, certain Chicago-area railroads have complained that those playing the game are paying no attention to their surroundings and are walking in front of moving trains.
Cassidy said the online forms to deactivate a stop are difficult to find online and even more difficult to fill out successfully.
The bill would would give managers of Pokémon Go and similar "augmented reality" games two days to remove unwanted stops, and then fine managers $100 per stop each day they fail to make the requested removals.