Pokémon Go: Indonesians ignore government's Pokémon ban, continues to enjoy the game

PT XL Axiata Tbk, Indonesian telecommunication service provider is offering a 20 percent discount for 4G data packages to "take advantage of the Pokemon GO trend".

Avid Indonesian players of the new mobile phone game Pokémon Go has decided to ignore the security warnings of the government, as they continue to enjoy the game.

Indonesia issued an order banning the police and military from playing Pokémon Go and warned that the smartphone game was a security threat.

The Jakarta presidential palace also prohibited playing the popular game in its premises with signs reading "Playing or hunting Pokemon is forbidden in the area of the palace".

Although Pokémon Go is not yet officially available in Indonesia, many have downloaded it illegally and are busy hunting virtual "pocket monsters".

According to Indonesian security officials, the smartphone satellite location used by the game could allow enemies to gather sensitive data.

POKEMON CO'S RESPONSE

In response to all the security threat comments, a spokeswoman at Pokémon Co said the game was designed for enjoyment and not to promote social ills.

Nintendo's augmented reality app has already become an instant hit across the globe. It has almost doubled the market value of the Japanese game-maker.

The Indonesian businesses are also cashing in to this gaming fever. Turina Farouk, a spokeswoman told Reuters that PT XL Axiata Tbk, Indonesian telecommunication service provider is offering a 20 per cent discount for certain 4G data packages to "take advantage of the Pokémon Go trend".

This article was first published on July 22, 2016
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