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A representative of the Ministry of Defense reported cases of espionage using the augmented reality of the game.
The head of the department of the main department of ideological work of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, Alexander Ivanov, on the air of the STV TV channel, said that through the popular game Pokemon Go, intelligence was collected about the armed forces of the republic.
In his speech, Ivanov commented on the detention of a Japanese spy who was collecting information about the socio-political situation in the country, photographing military facilities and transmitting information about the situation on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. He noted that the interest of foreign special services in the republic existed earlier. In confirmation of this, Ivanov recalled the Pokemon Go game, which was very popular at the time.
According to him, "by turning on the camera with augmented reality," players could collect rare virtual creatures. Ivanov paid special attention to the fact that the largest number of them was recorded on the territory of the 50th air base, where the runway and a significant amount of military aviation equipment are located. He asked rhetorically, "Is this intelligence?", hinting at the possible use of the game for espionage purposes.
In 2016, Pokémon Go sparked widespread discussions about security in various countries. In addition to its popularity, it attracted the attention of authorities and religious leaders, who feared its use for espionage and security purposes. For example, in Saudi Arabia, the fatwa declaring the game "un-Islamic" was updated. In Egypt, authorities have raised concerns that the game could threaten security, as users can take photos and videos of protected facilities, including military bases, which endangers strategic facilities. In Russia, similar warnings have also been issued, arguing that uncontrolled use of the app could lead to "irreversible consequences," especially if players start visiting important facilities in search of virtual creatures. Authorities in other countries, such as Israel and Indonesia, have also expressed concern, linking the game to a potential threat to military installations and the security of user data.
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The head of the department of the main department of ideological work of the Ministry of Defense of Belarus, Alexander Ivanov, on the air of the STV TV channel, said that through the popular game Pokemon Go, intelligence was collected about the armed forces of the republic.
In his speech, Ivanov commented on the detention of a Japanese spy who was collecting information about the socio-political situation in the country, photographing military facilities and transmitting information about the situation on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. He noted that the interest of foreign special services in the republic existed earlier. In confirmation of this, Ivanov recalled the Pokemon Go game, which was very popular at the time.
According to him, "by turning on the camera with augmented reality," players could collect rare virtual creatures. Ivanov paid special attention to the fact that the largest number of them was recorded on the territory of the 50th air base, where the runway and a significant amount of military aviation equipment are located. He asked rhetorically, "Is this intelligence?", hinting at the possible use of the game for espionage purposes.
In 2016, Pokémon Go sparked widespread discussions about security in various countries. In addition to its popularity, it attracted the attention of authorities and religious leaders, who feared its use for espionage and security purposes. For example, in Saudi Arabia, the fatwa declaring the game "un-Islamic" was updated. In Egypt, authorities have raised concerns that the game could threaten security, as users can take photos and videos of protected facilities, including military bases, which endangers strategic facilities. In Russia, similar warnings have also been issued, arguing that uncontrolled use of the app could lead to "irreversible consequences," especially if players start visiting important facilities in search of virtual creatures. Authorities in other countries, such as Israel and Indonesia, have also expressed concern, linking the game to a potential threat to military installations and the security of user data.
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