I don't think you're far off. It's like a cult of people volunteering to give up their exact locations for a game. Idk but it's real weird to me too

This is definitely believable. This game could be a test run for locations, then the others will follow in a different manner

Firstly, I have no doubts that the data gleaned from this "game" will be sold or given to 3rd parties.

Secondly, you could possibly group the people playing into social circles... I.e. everyone who is "middle class" generally hangs around with other middle class people. So chances are they will all pick the same colour around that area.

e.g.
"People who live in the suburbs in the south west of so-and-so state/city/town area all red - so we know they are middleclass."

So, you could end up with fairly accurate polls of what income is where in what area and how big the groups are. As well as grouping by other things as well, like race, gangs, age ranges as well as phone models and a bunch of others. Excellent information for (tinfoil time) culling and controlling the general public.

It's an interesting point OP brings up.

Your phone already gives up your location.

They made a VR Pokemon game to make money, not harvest people's data.

You think it's that simple? If the government tells them to release their users location data, they'll do it in a heartbeat

The government is not going to ask Pokemon to help them track you. If they were going to track your every move, they would be able to do so without the help of a children's mobile game.

People are wrapped up in it because it's a cool way to play Pokemon. It's Pokemon, brought to the real world! There's no "mind control", people just like playing VR games on their phones.

Exactly this. I've been playing the game frequently upon release. I am no less involved in this community as I was before it's release and I am no less involved in any current events happening in America since release. I will admit I have been using this game as a distraction for a few hours a day because the past few days have been filled with awful news.

It isnt mind control to simply put out a game that humans enjoy. We are still animals that evolved a desire to experience pleasure. Is every pleasure seeking behavior now just a form of mind control.

I said "if"

Augmented reality not vr.

If it's free, you are the product!

What's scary is NOT being in the cult singles you out as "not a sheep"...

Niantic, Inc. was created by Keyhole, Inc., which was funded by Sony & In-Q-Tel (the CIA's venture capital arm). The majority of the funding for Keyhole, Inc. from In-Q-Tel was from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. NGA was known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) until 2003.

Sounds like an intelligence wet dream to have people walking around taking pictures wherever they spawn these things. Sure, a smart phone is already capable, but this gives incentive to take it out and aim the camera at random objects/rooms/buildings/etc.

What would be the benefit of having these pictures or video being taken at these specific objects/rooms/buildings?

From the NGA Wikipedia:

the primary mission of collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security. NGA was known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) until 2003.

We've been saying forever how the cameras can be activated whenever, but now this encourages people to aim them at obscure shit all over the place rather than keeping the phone in their pockets unless they need it.

Arrested development. They are making adults into perpetual children.

I was a bit surprised to find out how many people I work with are into this shit, it is really weird. I remember when I was about 11 (mid 90s) hanging out with a two new friends that were on my baseball team for the first time outside of baseball practice. I went to one of their house and one of them had pokemon cards, the other kid saw that and freaked out and called his mom and MADE her bring his pokemon cards over. I lost all respect for both of them at that exact moment, never hung out with them outside of practice again. I was ~11 and thought we were too old for that shit and was embarrassed for them. Now I am ~30 and find out that people STILL haven't gotten too old for that shit. Forget any conspiracies, why are adults downloading and playing with something called pokemon? All I can think of is that South Park episode from way back: Chinpokomon haha.

This is one of the biggest conspiracies out there.

I feel you. I had a friend actually call me and was surprised when I said I wasn't the slightest bit interested in pokemon anymore. They seemed disappointed.

It is kinda of crazy and weird but it's a new style of games coming out called augmented reality, so it is sort of a test to see how these games are perceived by the public. Whereas virtual reality you were have a screen in front of your face.

I felt the same way.

It went viral virtually out of nowhere.

Uses your gmail

and pretty much tracks you via GPS which im sure is being stored. At best they are logging the activity and movement of thousands of people

It's pretty fucking sad that I see full grown adults wondering around aimlessly playing this garbage. If you need a phone app to help motivate you to get out of the house, somethings is seriously wrong with you.

I think the subreddit has gotten to your head. Its like if we can never acknowledge that there is a separate force than that of government or population. Private interprise has a constant will and pull to make profit. Un politically motivated, un opinionated un biased profit.

A company simply wants to create a game that will make an astounding amount of profit, pushed by it's self advertising qualities. People love to post about the game because of this unique feature, and this unique feature makes people curious to try it. Nothing more than that.

Now is the government paying attention to the results, or maybe being inspired by this... maybe, I don't think this is too far fetched to believe. But I don't believe they are pulling as many strings as people seem to believe!

private profit

not surveillance

Why is it "either/or"? Most things in life are "both/and" overlapping.

because one involves a joint coordination and massive cover up to hide evidence of conspiracy and the other one is the obvious function of a capitalist system. It could be both, but it's only in this forum that reality seems to always be the most far fetched scenario instead of the most obvious one. I'm all for stepping out of common thinking and not accepting what we are told, but sometimes the claims are so bold yet the evidence is.... only an idea! extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence!

Well, i think that as Waze may serve for harvesting data for autonomous cars, this could help to harvest data for something walking autonomously

I think it's stupid af, personally. I know grown bloody men, with children even, who won't stfu about it.

As for it being used for spying, I doubt they are harvesting/selling your data any more or less than is average (which is far too much, but that's not the point).

Grown men also play games where they hit balls and run on dirt to score imaginary points. Does that make them children? Why are adults in your world not allowed to be human and seek out pleasure?

Well I said personally I find it stupid, and I did not say playing Pokemon makes you a child nor did I say adults are not allowed to seek pleasure. Don't try to put words in my mouth please.

Of course, adults should be free to do as they will no matter how stupid I personally find their recreation (and conversely, I'll do what I like no matter what others think).

I merely stated my opinion, and clearly stated that it was only my opinion. For the record, I also think baseball, football, soccer etc are stupid.

I would concur that those sports are stupid. The point was though that you worded it in such a way as to suggest that people who play videogames are just children.

Not at all, that wasn't my intention and I honestly don't see how I could be read to have implied that I think playing games makes an adult childish.

That said, most if not all the man-children I know are big video-gamers.

A private company developped a brilliant popular app to make money.

You're being stupid.