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Pokémon Go has taken the United States by storm, turning into a craze that doesn’t spare any fan, regardless of their age. Children, teenagers, and adults alike are running around the streets, heads buried in their phones, trying to catch ‘em all.
According to Indonesian officials, military personnel and the police are banned from playing the addictive game while on duty – which should have gone without saying in the first place.
The announcement was made soon after Ryamizard Ryacudu, the Defense Minister of Indonesia, gave a statement about the security threats related to the smartphone game.
Similarly, the Jakarta presidential palace also interdicted players to roam around the premises looking for mythical creatures. The warning was signaled with plaques that read “Playing or hunting Pokémon is forbidden in the area of the palace.”
Ever since Pokémon Go was launched two weeks ago, the game has caused a worldwide frenzy, and the Indonesians have also been caught in the whirlwind of chasing and catching Pokémon.
However, Go has already been blamed for several traffic violations, crimes, and complaints in the cities around the world where the game has been launched.
Even though Pokémon Go is not yet officially available in Indonesia, that hasn’t stopped the most avid fans to illegally download it and start hunting digital “pocket monsters.”
The game’s popularity is what caused security concerns, with officials suggesting its high-tech capabilities could be used in spying. “Spying can come in different forms,” according to Defense, who also added the game was “just not right.”
Pokémon Go will soon be banned for military personnel during duty hours. Tatang Sulaiman, a spokesman for the military, said the prohibition seeks to protect the high-security sites of the army.
Among the main concerns is the fact that the devices people use to play the game can also be used to send sensitive data over the Internet connection to other countries. The level of alert went even higher after a Frenchman playing Pokémon Go was temporarily detained as he accidentally walked into a military base on Java Island.
For those unfamiliar with the game, Pokémon Go uses a phone’s GPS location, camera, and graphics to display overlaying representations of cartoon monsters on real-world settings.
Image Source: Pokémon
