Franken Pleased With Pokemon Go Creator's Response, Plans Further Meeting

Sen. Al Franken, who asked the Pokemon Go developer in July for details about data it's collecting from users due to his privacy concerns (see 1607120072), said Niantic provided a seven-page comprehensive response and he plans to meet with company officials "in the near future" to clarify some answers. "The launch of Pokémon GO earlier this summer represented a new era in gaming, but shortly after the app's release, there were strong concerns about how it treats its users' digital data," said Franken, D-Minn., in a Thursday news release. People have a fundamental right to privacy and to know how their personal data is treated, he said. "That's why I pressed app maker Niantic to detail how Pokémon GO collects, uses, and shares its users' information," he added. He said he's particularly concerned about children who are playing the game. In the letter to Franken, Niantic General Counsel Courtney Power wrote about the mistake of requesting full Google account information from iPhone users, but also how it gets verification for players under age 13 and use of third parties to improve the game by sharing some information. Some other lawmakers and children's and privacy advocates have also raised concerns about Niantic's collection and use of data (see 1607150014, 1607190066, 1607200063 and 1607250009).