Pokemon GO can pose security threat to society

Pokemon GO, an online mobile phone-based gaming application, can be a cause of concern for others in society, according to the Indonesia Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu.

"I just found out, it is funny at first, but after playing it for a long time, I thought this (game) is not right as the players crash into others to seek Pokemon," Ryacudu noted at an event held for the mass media journalists at the Ministry of Defense on Monday.

Pokemon GO is played using a mobile phone camera in "real time" or directly, making the players vying for the Pokemon animated figure to look for it in all directions in the real world, while the background screen shows their actual surroundings.

According to a growing discourse, while playing, users hunting for Pokemon at vital locations of a country can unknowingly capture information on these places in the form of images and videos as the background of the game that can be misused by foreign intelligence services.

In response to the discourse, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) explained that the investigation can involve a variety of media and not merely through the game that has gained popularity among the people.

"An intelligence breach can occur on all fronts and not just through the (game) Pokemon. That is why we have to be careful," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Ridlwan Habib, an intelligence analyst from the University of Indonesia, believes that Pokemon GO does not compromise the security of the state.

"The augmented reality technology used in Pokemon GO does not pose a security threat. This technology incorporates GPS mapping, and only the animations are simulated. The base maps have actually been there before. They are using Google maps and then mixing them with hi-definition simulation," Ridlwan explained.

Hence, the discourse of the BIN to review the Pokemon GO phenomenon was not considered necessary.
Source: ANTARA