China Bans Augmented Reality Games, Citing Security Concern
"Judging from overseas consumption patterns and a number of cases, there are major social risks linked to the operation of this game," the General Administration of Press and Publications, Radio, Film and Television said in a statement on its website.
"These include breaches of security relating to geographical information, traffic safety and threats to consumer safety," the statement said.
China already bans Google Maps, on which Pokémon Go depends, within its borders, so any attempt to play in China without government permission would result in a blank map.
"From the government's point of view, there is a risk to national security," he said. "But I think their main fear isn't actually to do with geographical information."
"I think for them the key issue is large numbers of people gathering in public places, ostensibly to play such games," Li said. "I think they may be afraid of 'mass incidents' occurring."
China sees thousands of 'mass incidents' every month, although many go unreported, ranging from anti-eviction protests, to mass petitions, to strikes and anti-pollution demonstrations.
See the full story here: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/china-bans-aungmented-reality-games-citing-security-concerns-01112017120933.html