Pokemon Go on Army’s Radar Prompts French Anti-Intrusion Tactics
- Army memo warns of intrusions into bases, security threats
- Defense companies Airbus, Safran echo risks, enforce bans
A military area in Lille, northern France, prohibits Pokemon hunting.
Photographer: Philippe Huguen/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The French army’s list of potential threats just added an unlikely candidate: Pokemon Go.
The virtual monsters of the Pokemon Go mobile game could lead to intrusions into army bases and even threaten national security, France’s defense ministry said in an internal memo. The military is enforcing a ban on the game, which was developed by Niantic Inc. and mixes augmented reality with digital creatures, to stop staff from unknowingly sharing sensitive data like geographic coordinates or photos.