A hidden project behind PokéStops
Since its debut in 2016, Pokémon Go has attracted millions of players (me first) with its concept of hunting pokemons in augmented reality. But did you know that Niantic, the game’s publisher, uses your games to power a geospatial artificial intelligence model? This project aims to map the world in 3D using scans that players submit when exploring real-world locations in the game.
With this trickery, Niantic is developing a visual positioning system (or VPS), capable of locating a device with a simple photo and understanding complex spaces. The result? More than 10 million scans recorded around the world and 1 million new ones every week. A technological feat therefore, but which is not without asking questions.
Your data, their treasure
To make this machine work, Niantic collects a lot of information: geolocation, personal data (like your name or email), and of course, images of the places you scan. This information is essential to improve their model, but it also raises questions.
Indeed, Niantic’s privacy policy remains unclear on what they actually do with this data. What is clear is that you have no way to opt out of having your location collected. At a time when the slightest piece of information has value, it makes you think, and the adage when it’s free, you’re the product
takes on its full meaning here.
Why is it important?
Beyond innovation, there are security issues. Experts point out that geolocation is much more sensitive than we think. Imagine a scenario where this data falls into the wrong hands or is used for less ethical applications (military, surveillance, etc.). And even without that, having so much data concentrated in a single company can pose problems in the event of a hack.
If this story worries you, some precautions are necessary. For example, only play in public places and avoid scanning areas that are private or contain people. Once your data is in the system, there is no going back. So, still enjoy Pokémon Go if you want, but with a little perspective. And the next time you scan a PokéStop, remember: it’s not just gambling.
