Selasa, 26 Juli 2016

POKEMON GO TRIGGERS NATIONWIDE CONCERNS

 by Andi Abdussalam
          Jakarta, July 26 (Antara) - Despite not being officially launched in Indonesia, many are playing the "Pokemon Go" game through a third-party application, and this has raised concerns among several quarters of the nation.
         Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu had remarked on Monday last week that "Pokemon Go," an online mobile phone-based gaming application, can be a cause of concern for others in society.
         Indonesians have been joining the frenzy of Pokemon Go since the past two weeks. Pokemon Go, which is gaining growing popularity, was developed for iOS and Android devices and makes use of the Global Positioning System (GPS) and the camera of compatible devices.
         The game allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual creatures called Pokemons, such as a cuddly yellow Pikachu, who appears on device screens as though it is in the real world.
         However, Indonesia views the Pokemon Go gaming application as a potential security threat to the nation.



         Therefore, Communications and Informatics Minister has met Google representatives to discuss efforts to prevent the Pokemon Go game from placing its virtual characters in vital, strategic locations as this posed a threat to the state's security.
         "We have met twice with Google's representatives to discuss the issue relating to Pokemon Go, as the game's application is developed by a company under Google's coordination," the minister noted in Jakarta on Monday.
        Nintendo, which has improved the GPS-based augmented reality game, is cooperating with Niantic, a subsidiary of Google, for the development of the game.
        At the meeting, the minister asked that Google Maps used in the development of Pokemon Go would not cover the state's vital locations, such as state palaces, police stations, state electricity company's Jakarta-Bali electricity network control station, and others.
        The minister has highlighted the importance of protecting and ensuring the security of these vital, strategic locations before the official launch of Pokemon Go in Indonesia.
        Rudiantara believes that Pokemon Go is similar to other games. The accidents that occurred with Pokemon players were due to carelessness and failure to abide by the rules, such as the ban on the use of cellular phones while driving.
         Moreover, searching for the Pokemon monster during the game while driving is dangerous.
         The minister said that Pokemon Go is only a trend, which will slow down in the end.  
    "I have consulted with Prof Sarlito. This game has become a trend only for a moment similar to the emergence of the precious stone frenzy some time ago. Yet we could not let it (go without supervision)," he emphasized.

         Rudiantara said the Pokemon Go frenzy could be utilized for productive purposes, for instance, preparing certain places, such as museums or other tourist resort areas, to hunt for the Pokemon monster.
         In the meantime, Minister Rudiantara supports the idea to ban all civil servants from playing the Pokemon Go game in their offices.   "Basically, we should not play any game in offices regardless of whether it is Pokemon Go or others. If it is time to work, we should work. Students should not play any game at schools," he affirmed.
         Officials in certain state institutions have banned their personnel and staff from playing the Pokemon Go game.
         "We have banned the game in the presidential palace since it is an office, that, too, of the President. We come here to work, not play," the Chief of Press and Information Division for the Presidential Palace, Bey Machmudin, said here on Wednesday (July 20).
         Machmudin has also disallowed the press personnel from indulging in this activity anywhere within the presidential palace.
         He added that the staff of the Presidential Palace and the media personnel who come to perform their official duties or report news should do exactly that, rather than playing Pokemon Go.   Everyone entering the Presidential Palace area in Jakarta is given instructions in this regard.
         State Administrative and Bureaucratic Reforms Yuddy Chrisnandi had earlier issued a circular on the ban on all state civil apparatuses to play GPS-based virtual games, such as Pokemon Go, in government offices.
         According to Yuddy Chrisnandi, the Government of Indonesia is banning all civil servants from playing GPS-based games, such as Pokemon Go, as the mobile-based game is considered a threat to national security.
         Minister Yuddy Chrisnandi stated this in an official letter on Thursday (July 21) that all civil servants are banned to play the augmented reality game around government institution buildings "as a form of national vigilance and to prevent the possible vulnerability of government installations and security."
   "We are doing a preventive measure to maintain national security. We should not endanger national stability for any small risk," Minister Chrisnandi said.

         The high-tech features of the game are making government officials afraid as they can be used for spying activities.
         This is part of the national vigilance and efforts to anticipate the emergence of potential threats to the security of classified government installations.
         Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said the Pokemon Go game can be a cause of concern for others in society.
         "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 (July 18).     
   "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.

         Additionally, the Indonesian Police Chief, General Tito Karnavian, has also ordered all personnel not to play Pokemon Go during duty hours.
         "We are afraid that it can distract personnel from their assigned duties," the Head of Public Relation Division of the Indonesian Police, Inspector General Boy Rafli Amar, pointed out.
         Tito has issued orders dated 19 July, 2016, banning all police officers from playing this game lest it leads to a negative impact.    
    The General, Amar noted, was worried that the game can lessen the level of alertness of the police personnel and someone can record some confidential areas within the police institutional areas.

         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.***2***(A014/INE/o001)
EDITED BY INE(T.A014/A/BESSR/O. Tamindael) 26-07-2016 15:12:0

Tidak ada komentar:

Posting Komentar