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SUNDAY, JULY 17, 2016 TECHNOLOGY That big pub crawl downtown? It’s just ‘Pokemon Go’ fans SAN FRANCISCO: If you thought it was will participate, the first big test should run out into the middle of the street,” ment in San Francisco, since she expect- Hansen said he’s hoping for a positive bad dodging phone-fixated “Pokemon come this weekend. More than 900 peo- said Grace Gatpandan, public informa- ed “maybe 50 people.” She’s still contact- vibe during the crawl, which two of his Go” players on the sidewalk, just wait: ple have signaled their intentions on tion officer for the San Francisco police ing bars to let them know about the constituents are organizing. Legions of tipsy people could soon be Facebook to attend a “Pokemon Go” pub department. Another 3,500 people event. The response hasn’t surprised “There’s been this real anxiety around chasing cartoon monsters from one tav- crawl in Cincinnati yesterday, while 800 clicked a Facebook button to attend a Karen North, a psychologist and the country in the last couple of weeks. I ern to the next in a series of pub crawls have said they’ll turn out in Pittsburgh. similar event in Brooklyn on July 23, University of Southern California profes- think we need things that bring the com- planned for cities across the US. The mon- “We have a lot of customers who are into while 1,200 said they’d turn out the same sor who studies social media. “People are munity together,” Hansen said, referring sters are invisible unless you’re playing the it. Our entire staff plays it,” said Jeff night in St Petersburg, Florida. social animals, and they’re always look- to recent racial and political tensions. He addictive smartphone game that’s swept Smith, a manager at the 16-Bit Bar and ing for something new and exciting to said the event offers the promise of “a lit- the US and a few other nations so far. The Arcade, the first stop on yesterday’s Dratini, please, very dry do,” North said. “This is much more fun tle bit of harmless fun, especially if you same can’t be said for the hundreds, and “Pokemon Go” stroll through Cincinnati’s In the week since the game’s release, than just going to a pub crawl, because it make sure you don’t walk into the street in some cases thousands, of pub crawlers Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Almost “Pokemon Go” fans have flocked to gives everybody a common activity and while chasing Pokemon.” New Yorker who have RSVP’d on Facebook for these 6,000 people have RSVP’d on Facebook parks, piers and other public spots in something to talk about.” Justin Carlino voiced a simpler goal. “Most impromptu events. Organizers in San to participate in a Pokemon pub crawl in search of creatures with names like kids who grew up with Pokemon are peo- Francisco, Brooklyn and other cities are San Francisco on Wednesday night, Pikachu, Dratini and Jigglypuff. One Getting jigglypuff with it ple our age now,” said Carlino, 24, who encouraging people to dress in costumes organized by 21-year-old Sara Witsch, small park in Sydney, Australia has drawn About 1,700 people have RSVP’d on decided to organize a Brooklyn event and form teams to compete in capturing who says she’s still devising the route. crowds of 1,000 or more players - spark- Facebook for a July 23 Pokemon pub with his friend, Michael Ackermann, 26, the virtual Pokemon critters. Police say they’re unsure how many ing complaints from nearby residents crawl in Sacramento. Despite reports after a recent night spent imbibing and people to expect, but appear to be tak- about noise and trash, according to that players have been injured and oth- playing the game. “They love Pokemon Starting small, getting bigger ing the prospect in stride. “Obviously we news reports Witsch said she’s been sur- ers robbed after becoming distracted by and they love drinking, so this is a perfect While it isn’t clear how many people expect them to obey traffic laws and not prised by the response to her announce- the game, City Councilman Steve combination of both.”—AP Obama administration seeks to ease data sharing with foreign govts ‘The current situation is unsustainable’ WASHINGTON: The Obama administra- tion on Friday released a legislative pro- posal intended to provide foreign gov- ernments with a streamlined process for asking US tech companies to share email data and conduct wiretaps for criminal investigations. The framework comes one day after a federal appeals court said the US government could not compel Microsoft to turn over customer emails stored on servers outside the United States. The proposal would require the US SOUTH KOREA: In this photo, two South Koreans play the Pokemon Go game with Congress to change decades-old elec- their mobile phones in Sokcho, South Korea.—AP tronic communications law. It would also require the consent of any foreign Possible glitch sends ‘Pokemon government because it is designed to be reciprocal. The United Kingdom is the Go’ players to S Korean city first country the United States is seeking to enter into such a bilateral agreement SEOUL: The seaside South Korean city of Niantic immediately responded to emails with. A technology industry group said Sokcho is enjoying a surge of visitors who seeking comment Thursday. Whatever the it was encouraged by the US-British are wandering the streets at all hours as reason, South Korean “Pokemon Go” play- talks. they look at their smartphones. Why? It ers have been going to great lengths to “A strengthened legal framework appears to be the only place in the country take advantage. It was after midnight when must value privacy and human rights where “Pokemon Go” players can chase the college student Han Kyeol and three while ensuring law enforcement can do mobile game’s virtual monsters. Local friends drove out of Seoul, and 4 am when its important work,” Reform Government restaurants, hotels and businesses are try- they arrived at a Sokcho beach. Surveillance, an industry group that rep- ing to capitalize on the sudden craze by lur- “As soon as we got out of the car, four of resents major tech firms, said in a state- ing tourists with photos of Pikachu and us turned on our smartphones and began ment. Some privacy advocates have other monsters in their backyard and playing ‘Pokemon Go’,” the 24-year-old said been skeptical of adopting such bilater- promising free gifts to the Pokemon “train- by phone from Seoul. “It was very dark but al agreements due to concerns other ers.” The mayor pledged to increase free what was amazing was that there were a countries do not possess sufficient judi- Wi-Fi hotspots and battery-charging sta- lot of men roaming around the beaches cial oversight for warrant use. tions, and travel agencies have launched with smartphones in their hands at 4 am” Current agreements used to allow Pokemon-themed tour packages to Han hadn’t visited Sokcho in more than a law enforcement access to data stored Sokcho. Hotels in the east coast city near decade, and hadn’t considered a return trip overseas are known as mutual legal the North Korean border reportedly saw a before “Pokemon Go” came around. He assistance treaties, or MLATs. But MLATs, surge in reservations. The mobile game has enjoyed his overnight trip so much that he become a blockbuster hit in the US within plans to return with his girlfriend. “We went which involve making a formal diplo- less than a week of its launch, but it has not to a 24-hour raw fish place, saw the sun rise matic request for data and having been officially launched in South Korea. and stopped by the main tourist attrac- authorities in the host country obtain a Even if there is an official launch, South tions,” he said. warrant on behalf of the requesting Korean users might never fully experience Lee Jung-hwan, a 26-year-old video pro- country, are considered overly cumber- “Pokemon Go.” ducer, has been traveling to Sokcho and some by law enforcement officials who Niantic Inc, a San Francisco spinoff of other towns in Gangwon province to find say the process often takes several Google parent Alphabet Inc overlays cute and capture monsters since Wednesday. months. Female doctors, scientists, Nintendo characters onto the physical When he finds Pokestop, a key location “The current situation is unsustain- world based on Google Maps. South where trainers can find items such as eggs able,” Assistant Attorney General Peter Korea’s government restricts Google Maps that can hatch into a full monster, he shares Kadzik wrote to Vice President Joe welders among 11 emojis service for security reasons. Gamers have to the location on the Facebook group for Biden, who also holds the title of presi- find spots in the real world to capture and “Pokemon Go” players in South Korea. “I dent of the US Senate, in a letter pro- MOUNTAIN VIEW, California: Female profes- where.” Among the new emoji characters is a sionals will soon be better represented in emoji doctor, a scientist, a farmer and a welder. The train Psyduck, Meowth and other virtual met people who took a day off to come to posing the new framework. “If foreign form. Google says Thursday that the Unicode characters are available in male forms as well monsters. The monsters’ appearance in Sokcho, people who worked in the morn- governments cannot access data they Sokcho was attributed to map glitches.

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