TAIPEI, AUGUST 8: Nearly 350 drivers in Taiwan were slapped with fines for playing on their phones after Pokemon Go launched on the island, which has already resulted in broken legs and museum bans.
The gaming app has sparked a global frenzy since its launch last month as users hunt for virtual cartoon characters overlaid on real-world locations using augmented reality technology.
A total of 349 fines were issued since the game launched in Taiwan on Saturday, with the majority of the offenders driving motorcycles, according to the National Police Agency.
While Pokemon Go has been praised for motivating people to become more active, authorities have warned players to remain alert.
“Catch the rare creatures, but don’t let accidents catch up with you!” Taiwan’s Premier Lin Chuan said on the cabinet’s Facebook page.
Drivers face fines of Tw$3,000 ($95) if caught using their phone, while motorcyclist have to hand over Tw$1,000.
A 20-year-old man in New Taipei City fractured his knee on Saturday after falling off his motorbike while looking at his phone, according to Apple Daily.
At Taipei’s National Palace Museum officials banned visitors from playing Pokemon Go in its exhibition halls, which house prized artefacts from Chinese history spanning 7,000 years.
Elsewhere, authorities are seeking to set firm parameters for avid Pokemon Go players.
In Thailand, authorities warned its citizens against entering polling stations in their search for the cyber creatures as the nation voted on a new constitution on Sunday.
Iran, which blocks many global news and social media sites, went so far as to ban the game entirely.
Young man killed while playing Pokemon at tourist attraction
SAN FRANCISCO: A 20-year-old man was shot to death while playing “Pokemon Go” at a tourist attraction along San Francisco’s waterfront, authorities and a family friend said on Sunday.
Calvin Riley was shot on Saturday night by an unknown assailant at Aquatic Park near Ghiradelli Square, the US Park Police said.
A family friend told KGO-TV Riley and a friend were playing the hit mobile game when he was shot.
“From what we know there was no confrontation. There was nothing said back and forth. It was just senseless, just came up and shot in the back and ran away for nothing,” John Kirby said.
Kirby said Riley and his friend had noticed someone watching them from the top of a hill that overlooks the park, but it was dark and they were mostly looking at their cellphones.
National Park Service spokesman Lynn Cullivan said investigators believe there are witnesses to the attack because it happened in the bustling Fisherman’s Wharf area. They are seeking tips.
Sgt Robert Jansing, a detective with the US Park Police, said the gunman did not take any of Riley’s belongings or try to rob him.
It’s unclear whether the attack had anything to do with “Pokemon Go,” which has become a national sensation this summer as legions of fans visit real-world landmarks in order to find and trap cartoon creatures.
But the game’s popularity has created unintended consequences in everyday life. Property owners complain of players trespassing or damaging their grounds and scores of players have been injured or robbed as they stare at their phones in search of digital monsters.
Law enforcement officials have warned about the game’s possible dangers, saying players can become engrossed in the game and tune out to their surroundings.
