Categories: Celebs

Pokémon Go Gains Access to Users’ Emails & Personal Information

Hey #Roommates, how many of you guys have been catching up on your childhood with that new modern-day Pokémon Go game app? If so you may want to reconsider a thing or two.

Like many other applications, Pokémon Go gives users the choice to log in via your Google account credentials. But let us tell y’all why that is a BAD IDEA!

CNNMoney confirms that iOS users who access the game with their Google credentials are pretty much giving Niantic, the developer server for Pokémon Go, full access to their personal information including emails. FYI, since the apps release last Thursday, there has over 5 million downloads between Apple and Android users.

So apparently, upon signing in with Google, users must grant access to their Google accounts. Unlike most other apps, Pokémon Go does not indicate that it is requesting full access–meaning Niantic, if they wanted to, could access everything that you can access within your Google account– Google Drive, private photos, search history –EVERYTHING.

SHEESH!

So anyways, Niantic claims there was a coding error that is being worked on. In the meantime, the company made a promise to not to use the information that it has such easy access to while Google works to also fix the problem.

“Google will soon reduce Pokemon Go’s permission to only the basic profile data that Pokemon Go needs,” Niantic said in a statement.

Nintendo America, the company which owns the Pokémon brand refused to comment on the issue.

So quick question, are y’all going to keep playing, or nah?

SOURCE: CNNMoney, http://money.cnn.com/2016/07/11/technology/pokemon-go-coding-error-emails/index.html

TSR STAFF: Chantel P.! @_popchanny on IG!

Kyle Simpson

Kyle Anfernee is the youngest out of The Shade Room Crew. Kyle is currently finishing his bachelors at Pepperdine University, and is expected to graduate this April with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Kyle joined TSR back in October as an Intern, and has since been added to the team. Watch out for Kyle because he's on track to be the next Terrence Jenkins for sure!