Russian Telecoms Ready to Block Pokemon Go on Corporate Devices

Russia's largest mobile operators say they are ready to block access to Pokemon Go mobile app on corporate devices should the companies request this option, media reported Friday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A representative of the Russian telecommunications company VimpelCom told Vedomosti newspaper that it has received such a request from one company and is ready to block access to the app on corporate sim-cards. MegaFon and MTS also confirmed their readiness to provide such a service, according to the newspaper.

Some Russian manufacturing companies are in favor of blocking the app, the news outlet reported.

A representative of Severstal, one of the world's largest steel and mining companies, told the newspaper that it has advised its staff to refrain from playing Pokemon Go at the workplace as the game is a distraction from work, violates technical safety rules and increases the risk of injury.

Pokemon Go is a free augmented reality mobile game, where the picture displayed on the smartphone screen is projected onto real-world locations. The main aim of the game is to catch a Pokemon, a pocket monster. It has become a worldwide hit since its launch in July and has already been blamed for a wave of crimes, traffic violations and complaints in cities around the globe.