Should you ban Pokémon Go from the workplace?

The latest mobile gaming craze has everyone from teenagers to their grandparents visiting parks, public spaces, and walking along neighborhood streets in an effort to capture 3D-animated monsters on their cell phone screen. I’ve personally seen 3 to 4 times the number of people out and about while jogging and in the parks, and many museum and memorial sites are asking visitors to refrain from playing the game.

Players need a GPS-equipped smartphone and internet access to play this game, and customers are asking about the ramifications for their business. Here’s our list of concerns:

1. If your businesses uses Gmail and Google Apps, do not allow Pokémon Go on company smartphones.

   We understand that this is a temporary issue, currently being addressed, but the original release of the app utilized Full Access permissions with your Google Account, which could theoretically be used to compromise company data if you logged into Google Apps as well as the Pokémon Go app on the same device and Google account.

   Tools like Microsoft Intune MDM can be used to manage your mobile devices and generate a list of installed software. Contact RWA if you’re interested in learning more.

2. Pokémon Go relies on GPS, and often fails to work indoors.

   The relatively weak signal from GPS satellites often fails to penetrate walls and ceilings, so your business may already be relatively safe.

3. You can’t block cellular signals due to FCC regulations, but you can block access to the game via WiFi.

   If you have firewall access, simply block pgorelease.nianticlabs.com

   If you need assistance, contact RWA for a WiFi security audit or device configuration services.

As for marketing and promotion, if you’re a retail business or a medical clinic that caters to the younger crowd, we highly recommend taking advantage of the game by deploying lure modules nearby and advertising their presence on social media. In a strange twist, places of worship have a huge advantage relative to commercial businesses… They are recognized as public places and often designated “Pokestops”, giving youth pastors a new opportunity to reach out to visitors that may not regularly attend church.

If you or your children decide to start playing this game, please stay aware of your surroundings and keep safe.