Editorial: Pokemon Go overreach should alert consumers

Gotta catch ‘em all  — unless it’s in the terms and conditions.

On July 6, the Nintendo release of “Pokemon Go” took the world by storm through its augmented reality features and interactive gaming components, leaving children and adults alike searching for Pokemon outdoors.

The gaming sensation allows users to battle, train and trade virtual Pokemon as if they are living in the real word.

Nintendo’s mobile app has garnered 7.5 million downloads in the United States alone and brought in about $1.6 million daily in revenue from the in-app purchases, as reported by Forbes. The phenomenon has inspired events, clubs and groups dedicated to playing the game collectively in public spaces.

But there’s a catch, and it might make you faint.

On Monday, researcher Adam Reeve discovered the app sign-in process often grants broad permissions over one’s account information when signing in through a Google account. The app does not notify users about asking for full access, which means it has the power to read and send emails as well as track location history through Google Maps.

Although Google has since assured users that it does not use any information other than basic profile information, the access could potentially compromise users’ privacy and security, leaving it open to both Nintendo and the app’s developers. Given the length and complicated nature of the terms and conditions that come with downloading apps, few people would have known about this supposed glitch unless Reeve spotted it.

While it may seem trivial to some, the potential overreach of privacy should concern all of us.

As we go deeper into the digital age, the lines between privacy and technology have become blurred. Whenever we use social media, mobile apps and internet sites, it is crucial to know what we’re really signing up for.

Being consumers, we have an obligation to protect our identity and information by being aware of these concerns and possible overreaches.

On the other hand, companies like Google and Facebook need to clearly communicate their data collecting practices to the public in more simple and concise manners instead of inserting them in complex mountains of legalese text.

Major companies like Facebook use data mining techniques for advertisers to cater to your interests, using your searches and web history to do so. By creating a profile on the site, you have allowed them to do so. That is ultimately on you, but it is also not absurd tosuch practices as intrusive and demand that companies inform you of them in terms you understand.

Similarly, apps have access to many features these days, including photos, location and mobile settings. By blindly consenting to this type of information access, we are putting ourselves at a serious risk.

Luckily, Google has vowed to fix the erroneous measure. The real question is whether it would have bothered if the public hadn’t had a collective meltdown about the revelation.

The lesson we can all learn from this is that even “Pokemon Go” is not exempt from privacy concerns — it’s a lesson we should all pay attention to. Terms and conditions documents represent a relationship between consumers and companies, and both sides have allowed the trust to deteriorate.

Companies hide policies the public would shame them for in their terms rather than being upfront about them, and consumers get enraged about information they would likely skip reading even if it was plainly stated. Companies should do their due diligence in making sure their customers know what they are getting into, and we should do our own share of the work by taking the time to understand what we can.

So before hitting accept on your next download, approach it with the same weight as selecting a starter Pokemon. Hopefully you don’t just rely on which option looks cutest.