More Than 300 People Fined for Playing Pokémon Go in Taiwan
What you need to know
The mobile game has finally been released in Taiwan, causing disturbances as people have been playing in the streets or while driving.
The mobile game Pokémon Go was released in Taiwan on Aug. 6 and people have been putting themselves in danger by playing the game in the streets.
In just two days, police across Taiwan have fined more than 300 people for playing the game while driving or riding scooters. A 20-year-old man reportedly fractured his knee after falling off his scooter while playing the game.
"A Pokémon appeared on my screen in the middle of the zebra crossing. It was even there after I crossed the street. The setting of this game is fatal,” one columnist writes in The News Lens.
▶︎ See also "OP-ED: Pokémon Go and the Death of Reality"
The Traffic Division of the Taipei City Police Department says pedestrians can be fined up to NT$300 (US$10) if they obstruct traffic. Drivers and riders can be fined NT$3,000 and NT$1,000 respectively for using their cell phones.
The Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation (TRTC) says people who inconvenience others by using their cell phones inappropriately on the MRT can be fined up to NT$7,500. The Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) has also banned passengers from playing Pokémon Go at airport terminals.
Legal experts warn that players may face criminal charges if they illegally enter private property while playing the game.
First Editor: Olivia Yang
Second Editor: Edward White