Experts flag security risks of Pokémon Go

AMMAN — As Pokémon Go mania sweeps through Jordan, authorities on Tuesday urged players to exercise caution when playing the game, warning that it could entail security risks.  

Pokémon Go is an app that uses GPS and maps in mobile phones to let players roam streets and parks to catch virtual monsters, called Pokémon, as they “appear” in different areas. 

“When playing a game that uses the GPS system, smartphone holders need to be vigilant… Such apps might represent a threat to the users’ data and privacy if misused,” a source at the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

Pokémon Go is not yet available in Jordan, and the TRC official cautioned that downloading the app illegally could put users’ data at risk.

“Those who download it in Jordan risk having their privacy and data breached and compromised by malware and viruses that might affect their devices when downloading the game through unsafe links,” the TRC source said.

The official also warned that players who become addicted to the game could become distracted, and urged gamers to stay alert to their surroundings, particularly when driving. 

He also noted that when players photograph the virtual monsters in various locations, they should not violate the privacy of others. 

Taking photos in secure facilities could represent a threat to national security, with legal consequences, he added. 

Jordan is not the only country in the region to warn against the game, which is currently available in 35 countries.

Authorities in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on Friday warned of security dangers to playing Pokémon Go, Reuters reported.

Users must resist the urge to point camera phones at virtual creatures popping up in front of the Kuwaiti emir’s palace, mosques, oil facilities or military bases, Kuwait’s interior ministry said.

The UAE’s telecom authority said in a statement that waiting for the game’s official launch in the country to download the app legally would save budding Pokémon Go traders from “violations of user privacy”. 

“Criminals [can] deploy malicious software posing as these applications... [and] use this technology to damage smartphone operating systems or spy on their owners,” the statement said.

Speaking on a current affairs show, Egypt’s Cabinet spokesperson said last Wednesday that authorities were investigating Pokémon Go and sought to “minimise the dangers of these games”, according to Reuters.

“The game is addictive, but those authorities who warn against using it need to make it clear why users should stop playing it,” a social media expert told The Jordan Times on Tuesday.

“Whenever there is a new technological trend, there are always concerns. This game is interactive and it is making people addicted to playing it. It provides a feeling of belonging and reality in a virtual world,” said the expert, who preferred not to be named.

“This game and many others may have negative impacts on users’ daily lives. Experts need to raise awareness of the possible dangers caused by the players themselves rather than by the game,” said the expert.

Shares of Japan’s Nintendo company soared another 14 per cent on Tuesday, more than doubling the firm’s market capitalisation to 4.5 trillion yen (JD30.08 billion) in just seven sessions since the mobile game Pokémon Go was launched in the US, according to Reuters.

According to the research firm SimilarWeb, the game was downloaded in more than 5 per cent of Android phones in the first two days of release and has outpaced the dating app Tinder.