Pokemon Go is easily this summer's biggest viral sensation, with people around the world joining teams (Go Mystic!) and scrambling to catch 'em all. There have been plenty of stories about how the game has helped children with autism, fostered community, and inspired some budding entrepreneurs.
But none of this matters to the real-life Team Rocket in Milwaukee County, where officials are upset (?) that people are going to the county's parks to visit Pokestops and catch Pokemon. The county has written to Pokemon Go developer Niantic requesting that the company acquire a permit before "placing" anything in the park.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Niantic has not responded.
Cry me a river. Parks are meant to be played in and used by people. While it's a whole other issue why a mobile phone game was the catalyst that got people to go outside and actually visit said parks, it's still a good thing that people are doing it. A park is an appropriate place for a Pokestop. The government does not need to get its hands on everything. There is no safety concern with a Pokestop's "presence" in a public park, plus a Pokestop shouldn't constitute an "event" any more than a park bench or a playground would be an event. They're things people "visit"--even if one is imaginary. You can't put a permit on something that doesn't technically exist in the real world.
As for the issue of permits, I think Ron Swanson from "Parks and Recreation" said it best:
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