Pokemon GO
Another Threat to Your Security
By Robert Hessel
Nintendo’s creation of Pokemon GO has started a
phenomenon in our country and has several positive
impacts that have people talking. The game is all
about getting up and moving. Users must travel
around using their GPS-guided SmartPhone to locate, capture,
and battle virtual creatures called Pokemon. The unbelievable
adoption of the game by a diverse range of users has created
a new means of marketing by allowing businesses to become
PokeStops, which users must visit to regain energy and get
more Pokeballs to battle virtual creatures. This is an easy way
to bring traffic to and around your home or business.
However, that may or may not be a good thing, as there is
a downside of this phenomenon that everyone should think
about. Typically, businesses and homeowners are not equipped
to monitor activities that may occur outside of their premises;
new traffic in and around your business or home can create a
need for additional security.
Therefore, homeowners and businesses are adding
more security measures, such as SmartHome Security
Systems. Business owners have traditionally installed security
cameras inside of their business to monitor productivity
and to keep an eye on their inventory, employees and
customers. However, most homeowners and business owners
tend not to install cameras outside of their homes and businesses
to monitor the activity around them, since they never thought
it would be necessary. Now, with floods of people outside their
property due to Pokemon, they are reconsidering the need
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for this type of equipment for a multitude of reasons, such as
injury claims by trespassers.
When large groups of people appear outside your home or
business, it can be difficult to identify individuals who might
not be there for legal purposes, such as those scoping out your
property for a burglary. By having video surveillance around
the perimeter of your home or business upgraded, you can
prevent some of these potential problems.
With so many people trying to reach certain points while
playing Pokemon Go, unintentional vandalism becomes a
real concern and intentional vandalism seems to be a natural
occurrence. A lack of respect for other people’s property while
playing this game has become increasingly noticeable. Yet,
those same individuals can behave quite differently when they
are aware that they are being watched and recorded on video
through a security system. Therefore, the surest way to protect
your property from masses of people pursuing a current
craze is to let them know that they are being recorded, as the
traditional warning of signage alone does little to deter these
over-excited players as they pursue their game.
Every day, new reasons to be concerned about your security
and loss or damage to your property increase. Fortunately,
daily improvements in technology can help protect your
property for yourself or for your family.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Robert Hessel at Source 1 Solutions can be
contacted at (727) 538-4114 or www.source1security.com.
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