Update fixes 'Pokemon Go' Google account permissions issue

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
An update for the popular iPhone game Pok?mon Go was released on Tuesday, restricting Google account permissions to the bare minimum needed for the app to function.



The Pok?mon Go version 1.0.1 not only resolves the complaints about unrestricted Google account access directed at developer Niantic, but also fixes some other issues with the game. Changes include the removal of repeated user and password credentials after a force logout, stability to the Pok?mon Trainer Club account login process, and fixes for unspecified issues causing crashes.

Users had been complaining that using a Google account to play the popular game granted full access to linked Google accounts on both Android and iOS, without informing the user. Niantic denied harvesting any information from players, and promised both server-side fixes, as well as a client update to rectify the problem -- the latter of which has now arrived.

Pok?mon Go is free, and still requires iOS 8.0 or greater, and a minimum of 193 megabytes of storage space.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Pok?mon

    I've noticed this before on this site, but certain special characters do not show up for me at all. I'm guessing that it's supposed to be an "e" with the small apostrophe or whatever it's called above it.

    I am on the newest Safari.
  • Reply 2 of 15
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    Although the main server and the forum server both support charset UTF-8, which is probably the Apache webserver default anyway, I suspect it is the auto export conversion function they use to send the story from the main server to the forum server that only supports the ASCII character set.

    Pokémon
    edited July 2016
  • Reply 3 of 15
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    redgeminipa
  • Reply 4 of 15
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Typical Google sleaze.
    Weasel as much information as possible, the dial it back if they're called out on it.
    Never trust an advertising company.
    lolliverredgeminipa
  • Reply 5 of 15
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    cali said:
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    It does. You can use a Niantic account, a Facebook account, a Google account, etc. Typical media spin making it look like it's Google only.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,650member
    cali said:
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    Google is a Niantic investor. The reason for the Google sign-in tho is because it uses Google maps doesn't' it? Could be wrong as I don't personally use the app. 
  • Reply 7 of 15
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,650member
    sockrolid said:
    Typical Google sleaze.
    Weasel as much information as possible, the dial it back if they're called out on it.
    Never trust an advertising company.
    It's no longer a Google company. 
  • Reply 8 of 15
    thewhitefalconthewhitefalcon Posts: 4,453member
    gatorguy said:
    cali said:
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    Google is a Niantic investor. The reason for the Google sign-in tho is because it uses Google maps doesn't' it? Could be wrong as I don't personally use the app. 
    It uses Google Maps, but that's not why it offers the Google login.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    Mike WuertheleMike Wuerthele Posts: 6,928administrator
    thewhitefalcon said:
    cali said:
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    It does. You can use a Niantic account, a Facebook account, a Google account, etc. Typical media spin making it look like it's Google only.
    We've addressed that you can use a Niantic-supplied account (when the servers allow signup) or a Google account to play the game in other articles on the topic.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    what I do not understand is everyone knows Google is collecting everything they can about their users and people are perfectly fine with giving up their personal privacy for a free email account and they are upset a game maybe also looking at their stuff. Really, if you do not want people looking at your stuff stop using a google account.


    I highly doubt I will even play this game, but can you use the game without having an Google account, can you just create a user account for the game.

  • Reply 11 of 15
    RosynaRosyna Posts: 87member
    cali said:
    Why doesn't this give options to use Facebook or something else? Not even a MyNintendo account.
    I'm confused. Does Google still own and profit off Niantic?
    You can use a Google account or a Pokémon Trainer Club (club.pokemon.com) account.

    However, the servers for the latter are hammered and you can't sign up at this time.

     
  • Reply 12 of 15
    disneylandmandisneylandman Posts: 297member
    maestro64 said:

    what I do not understand is everyone knows Google is collecting everything they can about their users and people are perfectly fine with giving up their personal privacy for a free email account and they are upset a game maybe also looking at their stuff. Really, if you do not want people looking at your stuff stop using a google account.


    I highly doubt I will even play this game, but can you use the game without having an Google account, can you just create a user account for the game.

    You don't understand the problem.  The EULA gave the developer full READ and WRITE access to user's email, documents, etc., everything related to Google.  They can access your account, read, write, and delete emails and documents.  Even Google does not do that to their own users.  By entering your name and password, you granted the developer full access to your account.  Google does not have that type of access.  Most people don't know to create a dummy Google account, and millions have played the game signing in with their Google account.  So the damage is already done.  Anyone using a public forum has given up some level of privacy.  So what you should really say is that people should stop using the Internet completely if they do not want some level of their information out there.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 13 of 15
    lolliverlolliver Posts: 497member
    apple ][ said:
    Pok?mon

    I've noticed this before on this site, but certain special characters do not show up for me at all. I'm guessing that it's supposed to be an "e" with the small apostrophe or whatever it's called above it.

    I am on the newest Safari.

    Same for me on IE11
  • Reply 14 of 15
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    disneylandman said:
    maestro64 said:

    what I do not understand is everyone knows Google is collecting everything they can about their users and people are perfectly fine with giving up their personal privacy for a free email account and they are upset a game maybe also looking at their stuff. Really, if you do not want people looking at your stuff stop using a google account.


    I highly doubt I will even play this game, but can you use the game without having an Google account, can you just create a user account for the game.

    You don't understand the problem.  The EULA gave the developer full READ and WRITE access to user's email, documents, etc., everything related to Google.  They can access your account, read, write, and delete emails and documents.  Even Google does not do that to their own users.  By entering your name and password, you granted the developer full access to your account.  Google does not have that type of access.  Most people don't know to create a dummy Google account, and millions have played the game signing in with their Google account.  So the damage is already done.  Anyone using a public forum has given up some level of privacy.  So what you should really say is that people should stop using the Internet completely if they do not want some level of their information out there.
    So Google doesn't do this to its own users, but makes APIs available so third parties can do it?

  • Reply 15 of 15
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    Rayz2016 said:
    disneylandman said:
    maestro64 said:

    what I do not understand is everyone knows Google is collecting everything they can about their users and people are perfectly fine with giving up their personal privacy for a free email account and they are upset a game maybe also looking at their stuff. Really, if you do not want people looking at your stuff stop using a google account.


    I highly doubt I will even play this game, but can you use the game without having an Google account, can you just create a user account for the game.

    You don't understand the problem.  The EULA gave the developer full READ and WRITE access to user's email, documents, etc., everything related to Google.  They can access your account, read, write, and delete emails and documents.  Even Google does not do that to their own users.  By entering your name and password, you granted the developer full access to your account.  Google does not have that type of access.  Most people don't know to create a dummy Google account, and millions have played the game signing in with their Google account.  So the damage is already done.  Anyone using a public forum has given up some level of privacy.  So what you should really say is that people should stop using the Internet completely if they do not want some level of their information out there.
    So Google doesn't do this to its own users, but makes APIs available so third parties can do it?


    exactly, People have not clue what Google is doing, at not time is Google protecting your private information, Even people who have not signed over their privacy rights to Google to get a free email account are having their emails read. Today any time I do business with someone who is using a gmail account I tell them I will not do business with them until the get real email account.
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