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Govt told to monitor potential threats posed by Pokemon Go
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Pokemon Go players gather at Bung Karno Sports Stadium, Senayan, Central Jakarta. (-/Donny Fernando)
T
he government has been warned to closely monitor potential threats posed by Pokemon Go, Nintendo’s new mobile augmented-reality game app. The game has become increasingly popular among children and teenagers.
The game utilizes the GPS (Global Positioning System) smartphone feature to allow users to hunt and catch Pokemon characters in augmented reality, oft leading players to track characters in security sensitive places such as state and presidential palaces, government buildings, police and military offices.
“Among other concerns, the players have begun to hunt the Pokemon characters at dangerous and or restricted locations,” Tantowi Yahya, deputy chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing information, intelligence, defense and foreign affairs told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
“This should be of concern to the government,” he added.
(Read also : Pokemon Go could be used to detect secret info, minister warns)
The ministry have been monitoring the game since it was first launched earlier this month, to ensure its security, Information and Communication Ministry spokesman Ismail Cawidu said.
Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu also warned Pokeman Go users on Monday that their game may be used by foreign countries to detect sensitive information. (rez/bbn)
