POKEMON TO DEMON? ANALIZA DYSKURSU STRACHU PRZED GRĄ „POKEMON GO” W POLSKIM INTERNECIE
POKEMON THE DEMON? ANALYSIS OF ONLINE FEAR DISCOURSE RELATED TO “POKEMON GO” ON THE POLISH INTERNET

Summary/Abstract: This article presents an analysis of the discourse on “Pokemon GO” that gained unprecedented popularity in the second half of 2016. Thanks to the use of augmented reality, players began to travel the world in search of Pokemon, or pocket-monsters, known from Japanese anime movies. As the popularity of the game increased, in spite of enthusiastic opinions, critical voices appeared from various sides, ranging from rather liberal portals concerned mainly for the security of personal data, to the websites of Christian fundamentalists. The game was accused of corrupting youth and promoting magic, as well as exposing people to danger. We analyze the most popular arguments against the game, including security threats, the risk of inadequate behavior in places of remembrance and worship, as well as the health risks. The critical analysis allows us to demonstrate that the criticism of the game is rooted in strong metaphysical fear of the liminal sphere, as the game impairs the boundary between real and virtual. The “hate” expressed on analyzed websites is treated as an example of moral panic – a social phenomenon diagnosed by Jock Young in the 1970s.

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