Ever since its release, and actually a few days before that, Pokemon Go has always been in the news. Not a single day has not gone by without a news story on the game. Be it the positive impact it is having on the businesses across the world, or be it the benefits local markets are getting, a change is indeed visible. Controversies too have erupted around it. Japan has banned the game from the Hiroshima memorial. The next ban comes from Volkswagen. The company has forbidden its employees from installing this game.
Volkswagen has taken this step over the fear of ‘Corporate Espionage’. Over 70,000 global employees of the company have been sent a mass e-mail, informing them about this policy. The mail notifies the users that they are not allowed to install this game on their phones. The company is not against employees having a little fun. However, their main worry is that because of constant GPS access, cameras and data sharing, this might make Corporate Espionage very easy.
Volkswagen is however, not the first name to order a ban on Pokemon Go. Iran has issued a blanket ban on the game, calling it a threat to their national security. The country, interestingly enough, had also banned the Pokemon trading cards game in 2001 over ‘forbidden images’ and Iran’s anti-gambling laws.
The company here is not issuing this ban over any forbidden images or fears of national security. However, their main concern is that this innocent game might lead to some sort of data leak which might be critical for them. Secrecy is of primary importance to the company, and they do not want a smartphone game to ruin things for them. The company has taken an action before anything. In another policy of Volkswagen, when employees are visiting key areas or during major project meetings, their smartphone cameras remain covered.