Citing a concern that Pokemon Go players are wandering into private land and near electrical equipment, power utility companies in Florida have hired cybersecurity company LookingGlass to pull Pokemon off the map.
“We’re now in the business of killing Pokemon,” LookingGlass CEO Chris Coleman told CNNMoney on Thursday.
He said eight companies have asked LookingGlass to alter the game’s code to eliminate the little creatures from restricted areas. His team of computer coders then sends the suggestions to Niantic Labs, the maker of the game.
Police departments around the country have issued warnings to Pokemon players to stop trespassing on property belonging to businesses, the government or religious institutions. But no one until now has figured out how to rid their property of Pokemon.
Capitalism is a beautiful thing, isn’t it? A need arises, and someone with business savvy and a particular set of skills immediately sets about handling it. It also helps to have connections though:
Coleman said his cybersecurity company is in a unique position to help eliminate Pokemon, because he’s friends with a member of Niantic’s board of directors: Gilman Louie.
Louie is known in cybersecurity circles, because he was the first CEO of In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital firm that the intelligence agency uses to invest in state-of-the-art technology.
Working with an ex-CIA guy to make things disappear?
Let’s hope they’re keeping this to just Pokémon.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member