Iran bans Pokemon Go, defaulters may land in jail

The High Council for Virtual Spaces in Iran, which regulates internet use within the nation’s borders, has just banned the augmented reality game Pokemon Go over “security concerns,” according to the BBC.

Reports say those who get caught playing Pokémon Go in Iran and could find themselves locked up, or possibly worse.

That makes it the first country in the world to say “no” to Pokémon Go.

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It’s not clear what the High Council finds so troubling about the game, which involves smartphone-wielding players visiting real-world locations to catch digital monsters.

Going by recent publicity surrounding the hit game, the council’s concerns could easily encompass everything from crime-related fears such as robbery and trespassing, all the way to worries about large gatherings of people, something that tends to put strict regimes like Iran’s on edge.

The BBC said the Iranian authorities had apparently been considering slapping a ban on the game since last month, but wanted first to discuss the matter with its creator, San Francisco-based Niantic, before coming to a final decision about whether to let its citizens join in the fun.

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