Pokemon Go illustrates systemic inequities. It’s too bad we can’t add to the map and start shaping the world of the game to better match the world its players live in. Niantic originally allowed Ingress players to submit potential locations using pretty straightforward criteria, as noted by - but that’s been shut down, at least for now. None of that works very well for disabled players, children stuck in hospital beds during a long-term stay, and others who aren’t guaranteed accessible sidewalks and transportation. Pokemon Go players have to move around in order to hatch Pokemon eggs, catch new kinds of Pokemon, and fight in gyms. It doesn’t matter that a pokestop is just a few doors away if you can’t leave the house. Angel White Eyes, who lives in Pine Ridge, said that there are a few pokestops there, but they’re a serious trek away. Majerle Lister, who lives in the Navajo Nation, two hours outside of Flagstaff, says his friends, who want to play the game, haven’t found any pokestops. But for Native Americans who live in reservations, it’s even tougher. Because pokestops are concentrated in cities, rural players everywhere have trouble. Native American players living in reservations have fewer options. What is considered suspicious behavior? According to Homeland Security, someone who loiters or takes “unusual, repeated, and/or prolonged observation of a building,” may be engaging in a “terrorism-related crime.” The problem is, playing Pokemon Go requires this exact kind of behavior - and whether or not it’s deemed suspicious might depend on someone’s religion or ethnicity. Muslim, Arab, and South Asian players might be considered a national threat when out catching Pikachu. Omari Akil explains that, as a black Pokemon player, he fears that circling neighborhoods while playing the game could even mean death. According to who played Ingress, a “black opponent received thorough grilling” by cops when mapping out spaces in Baltimore - and he reports hearing of similar accounts in other cities. Back when Ingress players were mapping out the landmarks we now use to play Pokemon Go, black players were targeted by police. But as Grist has previously pointed out, parks tend to be concentrated in whiter, wealthier neighborhoods.īlack players have reasonable concerns. It seems that public parks in cities are designated pokestops, regardless of the neighborhood’s racial makeup. Parks are filled with pokemon and pokestops - but that doesn’t help in neighborhoods of color that lack green space. To support our nonprofit environmental journalism, please consider disabling your ad-blocker to allow ads on Grist.
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