Sex offenders on parole in New York will be barred from playing the hugely popular augmented-reality game 'Pokemon Go' amid fears that it may be used to lure young victims to them.
In an official statement, Governor Andrew Cuomo directed the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to block the state's sex offenders on parole, around 3,000, from playing the game.
"Protecting New York's children is priority number one and, as technology evolves, we must ensure these advances don't become new avenues for dangerous predators to prey on new victims," Mr. Cuomo said.
"These actions will provide safeguards for the players of these augmented reality games and help take one more tool away from those seeking to do harm to our children."
The company has already been asked by New York to remove locations in the game where the players can earn special points if it is near an offender's place. To implement the ban, Niantic Inc, the developer of Pokemon Go, has been requested to cross-reference a list of sex offenders provided by the state with its list of players.
Niantic also outlaws those under 13 from playing the game.
According to state officials, supervisors of the sex offenders will also be instructed to forbid the parolees from playing Pokemon Go and similar games.