JERUSALEM – The Israeli military is warning its soldiers about a new threat: the widely popular mobile phone game Pokemon Go. The army said on Monday it had banned its forces from playing the game on Israeli military bases due to security concerns.
In a directive to soldiers and officers, the army warned the game activates cell phone cameras and location services, and could leak sensitive information like army base locations.
The armed forces are concerned that soldiers could download a fake application that impersonates Pokemon Go but could leak information from their phones.
Pokemon Go players roam streets and buildings with their mobile phones and follow a digital map to capture the game universe’s digital creatures.
Israeli civilians are also being admonished about the dangers of chasing Pikachu and other digital critters in the game.
The Israel Cancer Association has advised players not to go outside to catch Pokemon creatures in the middle of the daytime to avoid excessive sun exposure.
The AIG insurance company in Israel is taking advantage of the Pokemon craze to market its personal accident insurance policy that covers accidents caused while playing such mobile phone games. Yifat Reiter of AIG said the company has received dozens of inquiries about the accident insurance for Pokemon players.
