Facebook, as we all know, is the modern pigeon post. It delivers information across continents in seconds - a perfect example of globalization. Through the wonders of this social media platform, I found out about Pokemon Go... which was as foreign to me as Candy Crush. You guessed right, I am not very familiar with video games. In the 21st century, I should not be surprised that the reason why I even Googled Pokemon Go was my online friend, whom I have never met in real life, posting daily, or I should say hourly, statuses such as
"My taxi driver asked me if it was fine with me if he stopped the car and caught Squirtle. Best day ever!"
"I swear I'm not recording you. I'm just trying to catch water type Pokemons !#PokemonGo"
"I walked 12KM today. Thanks #pokemongo"
The new app sensation reached me through a person I have never met. He downloaded the game in Georgia, a country where the app store isn’t even available. Though, a simple example, it highlights how intertwined the modern world is. Almost all borders are going through Facebook searches, Twitter hashtags, Google Searches, and Pokemon’s Augmented Reality.
It took a day or two for my whole Facebook feed to start filling up with Pokemon characters, jokes, and news. What’s fascinating is that modern technology and research on millennials' interests the franchise came back after almost 20 years of silence; Pokemon Go reached millions around the world, giving more power to its creators Nintendo and Niantic.
Pokemon Go was invented thousands of miles away from the country of Georgia by Niantic and Nintendo. The first gamers were officially allowed to play in only three countries: The United States, New Zealand, and Australia. But somehow millions of people around the world have managed to download the app, conceived in California, on their smartphones and tablets. At times like these, when the boundaries between official and unofficial, legal and illegal are erased, we realize how connected the modern world is. If I missed you I could let you know in seconds through a snap, an Instagram post, or a simple message. I would not have to wait for the mailman to arrive and take away the precious letter that would take weeks to deliver in a state far, far away. The closeness has its perks and drawbacks, but let’s look at that by catching Pokemons around us.
Apparently, Pokemon Go lets everyone with an Android and an iPhone play the enchanting game.The gist of the game is simple - just like many things in the modern world. As you move around in the world, various Pokemons will appear around you. The goal is to go catch them. Different places and different time periods treasure contrasting characters that make the game more adventurous and interesting. Augmented reality, the duet of the real and the virtual world, encourages players to travel more, explore and imagine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWtDeeXtM
Although the purpose of the game sounds fascinating, along with all the money Nintendo and Niantic have made, there are sides to Pokemon Go and the modern app world that can raise our brows and make us ponder about the safety of the growing number of game players in the digital world.
Signing into Pokemon Go with a Google Account means that you are giving the owners the full account access, with the exception of banking options (Google Wallet) and changing your private information. Other than that, Niantic and Nintendo are free to read through your emails and send out a few, peak at your search history, log into different websites, and view your photos and files. And remember, you agreed to this, because you never read Pokemon Go’s privacy policy that mentioned authority over everything mentioned. As the game is GPS based, you have also agreed to share your current and past locations and activities with the creators. Although, the information that you willingly share with everyone else or keep it closeted may never leak, the thought that Niantic or whoever might hack its servers has the power to manipulate you is already disturbing.
I know, it may have not been intentional. I know Niantic may never abuse the power it has. I know you are probably going to close this tab and continue playing Pokemon Go. But the problem the game has brought up is worth mentioning. Although many other apps like Tinder and TripAdvisor may have the same power over our private information; Pokemon Go has attracted the attention, because in a very short period of time, it has already traveled thousands of miles and has reached all genders, ages, and backgrounds. Maybe, it’s a reminder that in this connected world we should be more cautious of what we share online, whom we trust and whom we don’t.
So even if Pokemon do not care about you, how will we ever know that no one is watching when one has the power to monitor you through the transparent cable of the 21st century world?!
Continue playing Pokemon Go in 3..2..1…
