Information from Newport Police Department:
If you haven’t heard of the “Pokemon Go” game in the past five days, you have probably just returned from being stranded on an island void of all electronic communication devices and Wi-Fi. The game is an app used on smartphones, sending players to real-world locations to capture virtual creatures. But playing the game doesn’t come without some unintended consequences.
As if distracted driving isn’t already a serious problem, we now have “distracted walking”; people wandering the streets looking down, glued to their phones, oblivious to what’s around them, and intent on capturing Pokemon creatures without regard for their own safety. Players can become distracted, making them easy targets for criminals.
However, anyone can use the app to lure unsuspecting players into dangerous situations. In St. Louis, some teens were charged with armed robbery after they used the game to add beacons and lure players to a remote location. Four suspects were arrested and a handgun was recovered.
Pedophiles may also use the app to lure children to their location. Trespassing is also a concern for us. People playing the game may be seen by others as “suspicious” in neighborhoods and near closed businesses after dark. Businesses and organizations are also taking advantage of the game to attract people to their physical location.
The game has led to real-world pain. Some users admitted they’ve run into poles and have fallen, injuring their arms and legs. Groups of young children between the ages of eight and twelve can be seen walking in groups, caught up in the excitement of the game while crossing streets, not paying attention to traffic or signals at intersections.
The app uses your phone’s camera and tracks you through GPS. A lot of people are playing this game, which collects users’ precise location, storage, and camera data in order to play. So who exactly can access your personal information?
Niantic, Inc., the company behind Pokémon GO, reserves the rights to share the data it collects with third parties, including potential buyers and law enforcement. Such permissions are necessary to play the game, since it uses a map based on one’s GPS coordinates. The specific data used for iPhone and Android users is slightly different due to the phones’ respective operating systems.
For Android users, the game can access both the precise and general locations of the device, its camera, users’ USB storage, contacts, network connections, and more. For iPhone users, the game can access users’ location, camera, and photos. And for iOS users who log in with their Google account, this grants the app full access to a user’s Google account, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, and more. This means, per Google, the app “can see and modify nearly all information in your Google Account.”
Safety is our main concern. Pay attention to your surroundings. Be safe. Stay alert. Obey the law. And don’t play the game while driving!
